The Tiruchi City Corporation has been conducting a free Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination drive for 14-year-old girls across the city as part of a Statewide initiative to prevent cervical cancer, which is the second most common cancer in women.

Launched in March, the vaccination programme is being implemented at Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs) and health and wellness centres in the city with support from the Union and State governments. The initiative aims at protecting adolescent girls against high-risk strains of HPV that can cause cervical cancer.

According to Corporation sources, 1,768 girls have received the vaccine so far while another 9,881 eligible beneficiaries are targeted for vaccination in the coming months. The Corporation plans to complete the drive by the end of this year.

As part of the initiative, the Corporation has enumerated eligible girls aged 14 across the city. Parents’ consent is mandatory before vaccination. Beneficiaries are provided a form to record basic details, including the girl’s name, age, class, school name, parents’ names, and mobile number. The information is used to register the beneficiary on a centralised portal.

Corporation officials and field staff are creating awareness among students about the importance of HPV vaccination and its role in preventing cervical cancer by conducting awareness campaigns at schools.

“We have set a target to complete the drive in the coming months and plan to intensify awareness campaigns to educate parents about the benefits of immunisation,” said M. Karthikeyan, City Health Officer.

The vaccine is administered only in the presence of medical officers at designated health centres. Vaccination certificates will be issued to girls who receive the vaccine.