Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu launched the state-level HPV vaccination campaign against cervical cancer at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) here, according to an official statement on Saturday. He stated that nearly 65,000 girls aged 14 years would receive the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine over the next 90 days.
Sukhu urged parents, panchayat representatives and health workers to support the campaign and emphasised the need to spread public awareness, the statement said.
The HPV vaccine helps prevent infections caused by high-risk Human Papillomavirus types that are responsible for more than 90 per cent of cervical cancer cases, apart from other genital cancers and warts. He said the campaign would be carried out under the supervision of medical officers. The HPV vaccination would also be included in the routine immunisation programme and the vaccine would be provided free of cost to girls.
He said that within the next eight months, world-class equipment and advanced medical technology would be installed at IGMC and in all medical colleges across the state.
Over the next three years, modern healthcare facilities on the lines of AIIMS would also be developed in all zonal hospitals, model health institutions, Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs), he added.
Sukhu reiterated that a state-of-the-art cancer hospital would be built in Hamirpur at a cost of Rs 300 crore, which would ensure affordable and accessible treatment for patients within the state.
The government also aims to promote health tourism in the next five years, which would benefit not only the people of the state but also doctors, paramedical staff and technicians working in the healthcare sector, he added.
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