📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Original: Chirnzb
Derivative work: Unpetitprole
Health
Meghalaya HPV vaccination drive reaches only 5%, government to boost awareness
✍️ shillongtoday.com
🗓 04 Sep 2026, 03:48 AM
👁 4
Only five percent of the target population in Meghalaya has been covered by the state’s human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination drive, prompting officials to step up awareness efforts.
The Health Department of Meghalaya reported that the ongoing HPV vaccination campaign has so far reached just five percent of the eligible adolescents, far below the intended coverage. Health officials said the shortfall is linked to limited awareness among parents and misconceptions about the vaccine's safety.
In response, the state government announced an intensified outreach programme that will involve school‑based sessions, community meetings and targeted media messages in local languages. Additional mobile vaccination units are also being deployed to remote districts to improve accessibility.
The HPV vaccine, administered to girls aged 9 to 14, is a key preventive measure against cervical cancer, a leading cause of female mortality in India. The department urged parents to register their children at the nearest health centre and assured that the vaccine is provided free of charge under the national immunisation schedule.
The health ministry plans to monitor progress weekly and adjust strategies as needed to meet the national target of 90% coverage by 2025.
In response, the state government announced an intensified outreach programme that will involve school‑based sessions, community meetings and targeted media messages in local languages. Additional mobile vaccination units are also being deployed to remote districts to improve accessibility.
The HPV vaccine, administered to girls aged 9 to 14, is a key preventive measure against cervical cancer, a leading cause of female mortality in India. The department urged parents to register their children at the nearest health centre and assured that the vaccine is provided free of charge under the national immunisation schedule.
The health ministry plans to monitor progress weekly and adjust strategies as needed to meet the national target of 90% coverage by 2025.