BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for launching the nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign, describing it as a transformative initiative aimed at safeguarding the health and future of adolescent girls.
Joining the nationwide launching of the vaccination campaign by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Ajmer, Rajasthan, at a state level function at Krushi Bhavan here, Majhi said the campaign goes beyond routine immunisation and aims at ensuring a healthier and more empowered future for women.
“The HPV vaccination campaign is not merely a routine health intervention but a landmark move to ensure ‘healthy daughters and an empowered India’. This initiative reflects the Prime Minister’s commitment to strengthening the nation’s healthcare system and prioritising women’s well-being,” he said.
Under the ambitious programme, nearly 3.36 lakh girls aged between 14 and 15 years across Odisha will be vaccinated over a period of three months. The vaccine will initially be administered at community health centres, sub-divisional hospitals and district headquarters hospitals, and later expanded to primary health centres in the second phase. The vaccination is being provided free of cost.
Majhi said the HPV vaccine represents a landmark intervention in safeguarding adolescent girls from cervical cancer. The central government has been consistently strengthening preventive healthcare and making treatment for critical illnesses, including cancer, more affordable and accessible, he said.
The chief minister also referred to the announcement of the Mukhyamantri Cancer Care Programme in the 2026-27 state budget, which focuses on community awareness, village-level screening and mobile medical camps to facilitate early detection and treatment. As part of the programme, 121 dedicated cancer treatment packages are being offered in the state under Ayushman Bharat and Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana.