ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh's Papum Pare and East Siang districts have the highest age-adjusted rate (AAR) of cervical cancer in the state, the assembly was informed on Wednesday.
Responding to a question by BJP member Tsering Lhamu during question hour, Health and Family Welfare Minister Alo Libang informed that according to a report of the National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research-IMCR Bengaluru, Papum Pare has the highest AAR of 22.7 per lakh population while Pasighat in East Siang district has AAR of 20.3.
Cervical cancer develops in a woman's cervix and is caused due to human papillomavirus and is a vaccine preventable ailment, the minister said.
Libang said two doses of vaccines to a girl child in the age from 9 to 14 years would provide protection against cervical cancer.
"Vaccination proposals was put up by the department in 2020-21 and again in 2021-22 but they were not considered by the Foundation for Primary Immuno-deficiency Diseases (FPID), due to austerity measures in 2020-21 and fund constraints in 2021-22," the minister disclosed.
He added that vaccination against cervical cancer would be carried out in the state as and when fund provision is provided by the FPID.