RANGPUR, Oct 23, 2024 (BSS) – All preparations have been completed to immunise some 1.40-lakh juvenile girls with Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines for protecting them from being attacked with cervical cancer in the district.

The girls aged between 10 to 14 years will be given the vaccines during the month-long HPV vaccination campaign in Rangpur City Corporation (RpCC) and all eight upazilas of the district from tomorrow (October 24) to November 23 next.

The information was disclosed this afternoon in two separate press conferences organised by RpCC at its conference room and Civil Surgeon Office at its conference room in the city.

RpCC Administrator and Acting Rangpur Divisional Commissioner Md Azmal Hossain in the first press conference informed that 31,163 school going girls and community level adolescents will get the HPV vaccines in the city area.  

“To reduce the risk of cervical cancer in women, the government has taken the initiative to give free vaccination to female children and adolescents,” he said.

In continuation of the initiative, adolescents of 500 educational institutions and different community areas of the RpCC area will be given this vaccination.

He said, “Cervical cancer causes the second highest cancer-related death among women in Bangladesh. One dose of HPV vaccine is enough to prevent this disease. This vaccine is globally tested, safe and effective.”

RpCC Acting Chief Executive Officer Joyoshree Rani Roy, Chief Property Officer (Senior Assistant Secretary) of RpCC Mousumi Afrida, Chief Health Officer Dr Kamruzzaman Ibne Taz and Medical Officer Dr. Polash Kumar Roy were present.

Meanwhile, Civil Surgeon Dr. Mostafa Zaman Chowdhury in the other press conference said that 1,04,152 schoolgirls from the fifth to ninth grade and 4,034 from 10 to 14 years of age will be given HPV vaccination in eight upazilas of Rangpur excluding RpCC area.

He said, “Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide. Every year, 600,000 women around the world are diagnosed with cervical cancer and more than 300,000 die out of this.”

He said it is very important that adolescents receive this vaccine at the right time.

Emphasizing cervical cancer prevention, he said, “The government has added HPV vaccination to its expanded immunization program.”

Deputy Civil Surgeon Dr Md Ruhul Amin and WHO Surveillance Immunization Medical Officer for Rangpur Dr Md Mahbubul Islam were present.