The Dakshina Kannada district health and family welfare department has urged parents to ensure that their children receive the recommended doses of the measles-rubella (MR) vaccine and appealed to eligible 14-year-old girls to avail themselves of the free human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme to help prevent cervical cancer.
The district health and family welfare officer Dr H R Thimmaiah highlighted the ongoing HPV vaccination campaign, which has been extended across Karnataka until December 31, 2026.The campaign aims to protect eligible 14-year-old girls against HPV infections that can cause cervical cancer. A single dose of the Gardasil 4 vaccine is being provided free of cost at government health facilities, including primary health centres, community health centres, taluk and district hospitals, and government medical colleges and hospitals. Vaccination is voluntary and requires parental or guardian consent. According to the district’s campaign data, the target is to vaccinate 16,350 girls.
Cervical cancer remains a major public health concern in India. Estimates from the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases and the Indian Council of Medical Research’s National Cancer Registry Programme for 2022 recorded approximately 79,103 new cases and 34,805 deaths due to cervical cancer.
The department has appealed to parents and the public to dispel misconceptions about vaccination and make use of the free immunisation services available at government healthcare facilities.
