Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Mar 9: The Maharashtra Health Department on Sunday launched a vaccination campaign against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) for girls aged nine to 14 years, aiming to prevent Cervical Cancer.
The initiative, rolled out on International Women's Day, targets vaccinating around 9.84 lakh girls across Maharashtra.
The campaign was formally launched in Mumbai by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who described the drive as a preventive measure against rising health concerns.
“With changing lifestyles and increasing stress, the incidence of serious diseases is rising. Following the principle that prevention is better than cure, this vaccination drive is a significant step,” Shinde said.
Recalling the “Mother is safe, family is safe” initiative launched during his tenure as Chief Minister, Shinde said around three crore women were screened, with nearly 10,000 cancer cases detected at an early stage, enabling timely treatment.
He added that eight mammography screening vehicles deployed in villages have screened about 2.91 crore women so far. The government is considering procuring more such vehicles, potentially through funding from the District Planning and Development Council (DPDC), the Goa, Daman and Diu Relief Fund (GDR), or the state health budget.
On healthcare infrastructure, Shinde said several hospital projects in the state are 60–70% complete. The government is exploring funding options from institutions such as the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank to complete these projects.
He also noted that approval has been granted to develop health infrastructure through the Public–Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Shinde further stated that about Rs 450 crore was disbursed from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to 70,000–80,000 patients during his tenure as Chief Minister, and the fund continues to assist patients under the current administration.
On the occasion, the Health Department also felicitated women doctors, surgeons, nurses and health workers for their contributions to public healthcare. The event was attended by Health Minister Prakash Abitkar, Minister of State for Health Meghna Bordikar, Principal Secretary (Health) Nipun Vinayak and Health Commissioner Dr. (name not specified), among other officials.