Over 250 girls at a school in Kudghat were administered cervical cancer vaccines on August 15 under a joint initiative of the Bengal Obstetrics and Gynaecological Society, the Rotary Clubs of Calcutta South West and Charnock City.
The students — between Classes V and X — and their parents were counselled about the efficacy of the cervical cancer vaccines.
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women, but it has a pre-cancer stage, and that is why vaccines can help prevent the cancer, said Susmita Mitra, a member of the Bengal Obstetrics and Gynaecological Society (BOGS) and its public health committee.
“We gave the first dose of the vaccine to 286 girls of Mansur Habibullah Memorial School (formerly South End School) in Kudghat. The second dose will be administered after six months,” said Mitra, a gynaecologist with Manipal Hospitals.
She added that BOGS has set a target to vaccinate 2,500 girls by the end of the year.
And Friday’s vaccination programme at the Kudghat school was first such drive
undertaken as part of the project.
“The cost of each dose is ₹2,000 now. Earlier, when India-made vaccines were not available, each dose cost around ₹4,000. We plan to vaccinate children from weaker sections of society, children of sex workers and those of rescued trafficked women,” she said.
The website of the World Health Organisation (WHO) says “cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women globally ...around 660 000 new cases and around 350 000 deaths in 2022”.
“Being vaccinated at age 9–14 years is a highly effective way to prevent HPV infection, cervical cancer and other HPV-related cancers,” the WHO says.
Mitra said though it is best to take the vaccine in this age group, women up to 45 can take it.
In India, it is licensed till the age of 45.