Jalgaon Ranks First in State HPV Drive, Awareness Boosts Vaccination Numbers

Jalgaon: Jalgaon district has secured the top position in the state in the ongoing HPV vaccination drive aimed at preventing cervical cancer among women. So far, 2,293 girls have been vaccinated under the campaign, marking a significant achievement for the district.

The success has been attributed to effective planning and strong awareness efforts by the Health Department of the Zilla Parishad. At a time when cervical cancer cases are rising across the country, both the Central and State governments have launched the HPV vaccination drive. However, in many regions, progress has been slow due to misconceptions and hesitation among people.

To address this, Chief Executive Officer Meenal Karanwal directed the health administration to intensify awareness campaigns across the district. Focused efforts were made to clear doubts and build public trust, which helped improve participation in the vaccination drive.

The campaign was officially launched on March 8, 2026, at a primary health centre in Jamner taluka. Since then, vaccination numbers have steadily increased. The drive will continue for the next three months, with a target of vaccinating 41,000 girls in the district.

Compared to other districts, Jalgaon is currently leading the state. Thane ranks second with 1,999 vaccinations, followed by Nagpur with 1,234.

Appreciating the achievement, CEO Meenal Karanwal congratulated District Health Officer Dr Sachin Bhayekar and the entire health team. She also urged them to maintain the momentum and work towards achieving the remaining target within the stipulated time.