Indore News: Health Experts Address Concerns Over HPV Vaccination

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): A media orientation programme on the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign was organised in Indore to spread awareness about cervical cancer prevention and address misconceptions about the vaccine.

The briefing aimed to inform the public about the importance, safety and availability of the vaccination for adolescent girls.

Renowned gynaecologist Dr Asha Bakshi addressed the media and said the HPV vaccine is not new and has been used globally since 2003 with encouraging results. She recommended vaccination for adolescent girls, stating that this age group gains strong protection against cervical cancer.

She also urged the public not to trust unverified or misleading information regarding the vaccine.

Paediatric specialist Dr Parag Gandhi highlighted international examples, noting that countries such as Australia have nearly eliminated cervical cancer through extensive HPV vaccination programmes. He said the government is providing this otherwise costly vaccine free of charge to safeguard adolescent health.

Dr Nilesh Dalal, head of the Gynaecology Department at MGM Medical College, said ensuring the success of the vaccination campaign is a shared responsibility of health authorities and society.

Chief medical and health officer Dr Madhav Hasani informed that HPV vaccines are currently being administered at 38 vaccination centres across Indore district.