Shillong: Meghalaya has vaccinated only 1,841 of the 39,796 girls targeted under its ongoing Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign, prompting the Health Department to step up efforts to address vaccine hesitancy and misinformation.
Mission Director of the National Health Mission, Ramkumar S, said the state has so far covered around 5% of its target population under the campaign.
The programme targets girls who have completed 14 years but have not yet turned 15. The vaccine is being provided free of cost at government health facilities, including Primary Health Centres, Community Health Centres and district hospitals.
Addressing the media, Ramkumar said HPV vaccination was an important preventive measure against cervical cancer, which ranks second among cancers affecting women in Meghalaya.
He said HPV vaccines have been used successfully in more than 100 countries for over a decade and rejected claims linking vaccination to infertility.
“There is no scientific evidence” linking the HPV vaccine to infertility, Ramkumar said, adding that the vaccine has undergone extensive research and is approved by the World Health Organization.
He urged the media to help counter misinformation and report accurately on vaccination-related issues.
“If there is any kind of adverse effect, please bring it to our notice,” he said, adding that the department would verify such reports and clarify the actual situation.
Ramkumar said the vaccine is most effective when administered before exposure to HPV, which is why the programme focuses on young adolescents. While the current government campaign primarily targets girls, he said boys in the same age group can also receive the vaccine, as they too can contract and transmit HPV-related infections.
The campaign assumes added importance in Meghalaya, where cervical cancer accounts for around 10% of cancers diagnosed among women and ranks second among female cancers.
Dr Anisha Mawlong, Head of the Department of Oncology at Civil Hospital, Shillong, said cervical cancer is primarily caused by persistent infection with high-risk HPV and is one of the few cancers that can be prevented through vaccination.
She said the availability of the vaccine free of cost under the government programme provides an important opportunity to protect young girls from the disease later in life.
“Cervical cancer is preventable. We can stop it through vaccination,” Mawlong said, urging parents to ensure their daughters receive the vaccine.
According to Mawlong, HPV vaccination can reduce the risk of cervical cancer by around 90–95%, making vaccination at a young age particularly important.
The state is also preparing to introduce a combined screening and vaccination initiative called the “Mother and Daughter Duo” programme. Under the proposed initiative, mothers will be screened for HPV infection while their daughters will be counselled and vaccinated.
Mawlong said the dual approach would allow the state to identify HPV infections among adult women while simultaneously protecting the next generation through vaccination.
The Health Department is using awareness videos, testimonials, local-language information material and the involvement of community and faith leaders to address concerns over HPV vaccination.
Ramkumar said the state’s broader immunisation programme has achieved around 90% coverage among children, although hesitancy persists in some areas.
With only 1,841 of the targeted 39,796 girls vaccinated so far, health officials have appealed to parents and guardians to make use of the free HPV vaccination programme and approach their nearest government health facility for information.
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