In a campaign to curb deaths and prevent cervical cancer, five districts in Karnataka will provide free HPV vaccines every year to girls turning 14 years old.

Dinesh Gundu Rao, the Health Minister of Karnataka, stated that the government is prioritising this campaign to vaccinate adolescent girls with the HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccine, aiming to protect women from cervical cancer in the future.

Key highlights of the initiative:

HPV vaccination will be provided to adolescent girls to prevent cervical cancer.

A pilot project is being launched, with plans for a statewide expansion.

Cervical cancer screening is already included in the Gruha Arogya Scheme, which will be scaled up across Karnataka starting April.

Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women, and HPV vaccination is a scientifically proven method to prevent it. By taking proactive measures, the Karnataka government is ensuring long-term protection for adolescent girls and reducing the overall burden of cervical cancer in the state.