MANGALURU: Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader on Wednesday said the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine cannot be made mandatory, asserting that the decision to vaccinate adolescent girls ultimately rests with their parents.
Addressing reporters in Mangaluru, Khader said the state's HPV vaccination campaign has largely been successful, although a few pockets, including parts of the coastal region, have witnessed lower acceptance. He said the Health Department is intensifying awareness campaigns to address misconceptions and encourage vaccination.
"We can create awareness and educate people about the benefits of the vaccine, but we cannot make it compulsory. It is for the parents to decide whether their daughters should receive the vaccine," he said.
Khader also announced that the state government has proposed extending free medical treatment of up to Rs 2.5 lakh for road accident victims for the first seven days after an accident. The proposed scheme will be integrated with the Centre's PM-Rahat initiative, under which the Centre provides financial assistance of Rs 1.5 lakh. The Karnataka government plans to contribute an additional Rs 1 lakh, taking the total assistance to Rs 2.5 lakh.
He said the PM-Rahat scheme has not been implemented effectively in Karnataka due to certain operational issues, and the government is working to streamline its implementation so that accident victims receive timely cashless treatment.
Responding to a question on his recent remarks suggesting that the police should "shoot" rowdy elements—a statement that drew criticism—Khader clarified that his comments had been misconstrued.
"I never said the police should shoot anyone. What I meant was that the police should go a step further in dealing with habitual offenders and create a psychological fear among rowdy elements," he maintained.