Karnataka health dept to vaccinate 11,300 girls in govt hostels against HPV

Bengaluru: In the absence of a universal vaccination programme for human papillomavirus (HPV) in the country, the State Health Department has undertaken a project to vaccinate over 11,300 14-year-old girls residing in government hostels under the Social Welfare Department (SWD).

According to available global statistics, eight out of 10 women will contract the virus at some point in their lives. This puts more than 480 million women in India at risk of contracting the virus and potentially developing cervical cancer from cancer-causing HPV strains.

However, vaccination can prevent HPV-related cancer incidence.

The SWD will fund the project, which is estimated to cost Rs 2.88 crore to cover two doses for 11,393 girls across Karnataka, according to a well-placed source in the department. This includes 5,372 girls enrolled in class eight and 6,021 girls enrolled in class nine.

According to the project proposal, the estimated market rate is Rs 1,260 per vaccine dose and Rs 5 per syringe, totalling Rs 1,44,12,145 for a single dose covering 11,393 girls. This will be Rs 2.88 crore for two doses, which is the recommended dosage for girls aged nine to 14.

"The money is yet to be released; this will be discussed in the next meeting of the SC/ST Council," said the source.

The State Health Department is the implementing agency through its reproductive and child health officers (RCHOs) in each district. The project will be undertaken in one phase and is expected to roll out within the next two months, as the government order approving this proposal was issued on March 1.

Tendering and line-listing of all the students will follow shortly, confirmed a senior health department official.

The order, which DH has accessed, noted that the HPV vaccine will be administered according to the guidelines issued by the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) after the vaccines are procured by the State Health Department.

"We are hoping the Centre rolls out the HPV vaccination programme for girls aged nine to 14 years by next year. We wanted to begin by vaccinating 14-year-old girls in government hostels because this is the recommended age group for vaccine administration," said the official.