VIJAYAWADA: The State government is all set to administer Bivalent Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccines to girls in the 9 to 14 age group with a 90 percent discount, as part of a pilot project. The decision was taken to save women by preventing cervical cancer as persistent infection of the lower genital tract with high-risk HPV causes cervical cancer.
HPV infection peaks in women aged 18–25 years. Cervical cancer is the most common cancer among women in India, registering 1,22,844 cases per year and 64,478 deaths. As per the data with Aarogyasri services, Andhra Pradesh is second place in number of cervical cancer cases, with 14% of overall cases in the country.
Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that occurs in the cells of the cervix — the lower part of the uterus. Various strains of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection, play a role in causing most cervical cancer.A study on women of urban and peri-urban areas of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh found an HPV prevalence of 14.7 per cent. Of these, 1.8 per cent were high-risk cases.
Another study done by Andhra University and Mahatma Gandhi Cancer Hospital during 2019-2020 on 200 women from both urban and rural areas of Visakhapatnam revealed that 41.4% were aware of cervical cancer as a type of cancer affecting women, but only 10% are aware of the screening for cervical cancer.
Now, the government is taking measures to conduct a pilot project to vaccinate all girls between the 9 to 14 age group to prevent HPV virus infection in collaboration with Adayar Cancer Institute, Chennai.
The AP State Aids Control Society (APSACS) will implement the program with a single dose-based protocol as accepted by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Dr Mallik Sinagaraju, noted consultant radiation oncologist, Continental Hospital, Hyderabad, appreciated the initiative taken by the state government. Vaccination helps in preventing cervical cancer, but people who take vaccines must undergo regular cervical cancer screening, he said.
APSACS official sources say that the vaccination will be done through schools and primary and urban health centres. Though the vaccine dose costs Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 in market, the APSACS is planning to provide it with a subsidy of 90 per cent, which means the vaccine will be available for just Rs 400 to Rs 500. Speaking to TNIE, special secretary, health and family welfare and APSACS project director G Naveen Kumar stated, “It’s a pilot project to understand the needs of people and get feedback. It will be done completely on a self-interest basis.”