BHUBANESWAR: With the Centre planning to roll out the first quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine (qHPV) against cervical cancer as part of the national immunisation programme by this year-end, the Odisha government has decided to introduce the vaccine in the 10 aspirational districts in the first phase.
The vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) will be introduced to adolescents as part of a routine immunisation programme. It will be administered to girl students of 9-13 years in Nuapada, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Malkangiri, Balangir, Dhenkanal, Koraput and Gajapati districts.
State Director of National Health Mission (NHM) Shalini Pandit said the State government is planning to administer the vaccine to Class IX girl students in these districts in Phase I. A budgetary provision of 10 crore has been made for the vaccination, she said.
Sources said since there is no communication from the Centre on whether and when the vaccine will be rolled out, the State may think of procuring the vaccine with the funds provisioned under the NHM scheme if the national rollout is delayed.
The State government has also decided to expand screening and services for breast and cervical cancers from medical colleges to the district headquarters hospital (DHH) level equipping 20 major DHHs with necessary equipment/instruments. Plans are afoot to equip the hospitals with tru-cut biopsy, ultrasound probe, a vernier calliper and humanoid model for breast cancer and digital colposcope, biopsy forceps and thermocoagulation for cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer is a major cause of cancer mortality in women and only cancer, which can be eliminated through proper detection and vaccination. The WHO has given the clarion call for the elimination of cervical cancer by 2030.
Odisha is one of the states with rising cases of cervical cancer, which kills one woman in every eight minutes in the country. Around 90 per cent (pc) of cervical cancers are caused by HPV, types 16 and 18 which transmits sexually.