Gurgaon: Haryana has begun district-level preparations for the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination campaign, scheduled for national launch on Feb 28, with health facilities across the state put on alert to meet strict preparedness and reporting requirements laid down by the Union health ministry.
The campaign will target adolescent girls who are 14 years old but have not yet turned 15. The drive will be conducted over a three-month period and will be rolled out in phases, starting from district hospitals and then community health centres, primary health centres, and major urban polyclinics.
"Haryana has received 1,14,000 vaccines. Every district was given 2,000 vaccines on Wednesday. Total 3 lakh people will likely be vaccinated this year," said Dr Virender Yadav, director of Haryana NHM.
Each district hospital has been designated as the preferred launch site for the campaign. During the district-level inauguration, at least 50 eligible girls are to be vaccinated at the session site. The national launch will be held via webcast, with district launches to follow only after the conclusion of the national event. No vaccination activity is permitted before or during the national launch window.
District administrations have been instructed to ensure the presence of a vaccinator, verifier, mobiliser or volunteer, and a medical officer at the launch session. All beneficiaries must be observed for at least 30 minutes after vaccination.
Only health facilities with a posted medical officer are eligible to be designated as HPV vaccination session sites. Facilities are required to meet a detailed pre-campaign preparedness checklist, including functional cold chain infrastructure like ILR, deep freezer, cold box and vaccine carrier.
The vaccine being administered is Gardasil, a quadrivalent HPV vaccine manufactured by MSD. It is given as a single intramuscular dose of 0.5 ml in the left upper arm. Officials have been instructed that permissible vaccine wastage during the campaign must not exceed 1%, with emphasis on minimising wastage since the vaccine comes in single-dose vials.
After vaccination, the left index finger of each beneficiary will be marked to avoid duplication. All vaccinations will be recorded online through the U-WIN portal and an OTP-based digital consent will be obtained prior to vaccination, though written parental consent will also be accepted. Vaccination certificates will be generated digitally and shared with beneficiaries.
Health officials said the emphasis of the campaign is on safe administration, strict monitoring, and uniform implementation across districts as Haryana prepares for the nationwide rollout later this week.
"The vaccine works best when administered before exposure to the virus and or before the onset of sexual activity. By targeting girls aged nine to 14, the programme builds a wall of immunity at the right time. We often talk about prevention being better than cure, but in this case, the vaccine is a literal lifesaver. It reduces the viral load in the community and eventually lowers the burden on our health care. We expect a significant drop in cancer cases over the next two decades. Our focus now remains on seamless implementation and ensuring that the message of vaccine safety reaches every corner of the country. This is not just a medical milestone; it is a massive leap toward health equity for every girl in India," said Dr Randeep Singh, director and senior consultant oncology services, medical oncology, haemato oncology and BMT, Narayana Hospital, Gurgaon.
Ipsita Pati is an environment journalist with over a decade of ex...
Read MoreIpsita Pati is an environment journalist with over a decade of experience, currently reporting for The Times of India. She covers climate change, land use, and green laws, with a focus on regulatory accountability. Her work highlights the environmental implications of policy decisions and development on ground.
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