HPV Vaccination drive launched at Pune's BJ Medical College

Written by Medical Dialogues Team Published On 2024-12-17T15:05:37+05:30 | Updated On 17 Dec 2024 3:05 PM IST

Pune: In a bid to improve public health, B J Medical College (BJMC) and Sassoon General Hospital (SGH) is set to launch a Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination drive for their female doctors and hospital staff. Beginning Tuesday, this initiative will make BJMC the first government medical college in Maharashtra to undertake such an immunization campaign.

HPV is one of the most common viral infections of the reproductive tract, and it can lead to a range of serious health conditions, including genital warts and various cancers such as anal, vulvar, penile, oro-pharyngeal, and cervical cancers. It can also cause precancerous lesions which, if left untreated, may progress into full-blown cancer.

The vaccination drive will primarily target female students, including those in MBBS, nursing, and postgraduate programs, all aged 26 years or younger. According to officials, the HPV vaccine will be administered to up to 1,000 students within the SGH campus. The vaccine targets four high-risk HPV subtypes—6, 11, 16, and 18. It will be offered in three doses over the course of one year, with each dose being 0.5 ml and administered at 0, 2, and 6 months.

Also Read: Introduction of HPV vaccine linked to reduced deaths due to cervical cancer among young women: JAMA

As per the recent media report, Dr Yallapa Jadhav, medical superintendent, of BJMC and SGH told Hindustan Times, “The HPV vaccine is a vaccine used for the prevention of HPV-associated cancers such as cervical, vaginal, vulvar, and anal cancers, as well as genital warts caused by HPV types 6 and 11. The vaccine works by helping your immune system develop protection against HPV before you are exposed to the virus. However, the immunization is voluntary and will be provided for free.”

Dr Eknath Pawar, dean, BJMC and SGH, said that considering the problem of HPV infection in the country, the vaccination drive has been taken up for all female students up to 26 years of age. This vaccine is already available in the market in the country. “We are the first government medical college in Maharashtra to start such an immunisation programme. The response to the programme is good with a large number of students already booking their slots in advance,” Dr Pawar said.

Also Read: 4.71 crore women screened for cervical cancer in India: Health Ministry

Dr Pawar said that they were the first government medical college in Maharashtra to start such an immunization program and that the response to the program was good, with a large number of students already booking their slots in advance. During each session, approximately 30 to 40 students will be vaccinated daily. He mentioned that while the HPV vaccination would soon be included in the national immunization program, they had voluntarily initiated this program. He also noted that the vaccine manufacturer had provided the vaccines at discounted rates, and BJMC and SGH covered the expenses incurred.

B J Government Medical CollegeSassoon General HospitalHPV vaccinefemale doctorsBJMC

Medical Dialogues Team