Rajasthan's HPV Vaccine Campaign Faces Coverage Gap

The state of Rajasthan is facing challenges with its Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program, which aims to prevent cervical cancer. Launched nearly 50 days prior, the health department has reported alarmingly low coverage across most districts. Officials have now directed an accelerated rollout of the campaign, targeting around 8.3 lakh girls annually, particularly those aged 14 and 15.

Progress has been slow since the program's inception on February 27th. In the initial 50 days, only 7,720 girls aged 14 received the vaccine, averaging just three vaccinations per session. To address this, new targets have been assigned to healthcare workers, and a seven-day special campaign is planned for districts with low coverage. Awareness efforts are also being intensified with multiple government departments involved to counter vaccine hesitancy.