Delhi CM to launch HPV drive; 30 girls to receive first shots at GTB hospital

Officials said that while girls aged 14 are eligible to receive the vaccination, those who turn 15 within three months of the campaign’s launch will also be eligible during the special three-month drive.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta will launch the special three-month Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination drive for 14-year-old girls at the Delhi government-run Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital on Saturday. Following the launch, 30 girls will be the first in Delhi to receive the HPV vaccination at GTB during the event, officials from the health department said.

Following the launch on Saturday, those who wish to register will be able to do so on the portal.

The HPV vaccination launch in Delhi is part of a nationwide drive. Under the rollout campaign, 14-year-olds will be given a single-dose regimen of the Gardasil 4 vaccine. Gardasil 4 (Gardasil Quadrivalent) is a vaccine that protects against four high-risk HPV types, including 6, 11, 16, and 18.

“For the launch, we had collaborated with the education department to select 30 girls who will become the first to get vaccinated under this drive. The schools then educated and sensitised parents and girls about the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, and those who agreed were registered on the U-WIN portal,” an official from the hospital, aware of the matter, said.

Following the launch on Saturday, those who wish to register will be able to do so on the portal. “Once the drive is rolled out, parents whose daughters are eligible will be able to register on the portal to get the vaccination. They will have to submit verification documents to prove the age of the girl child, after which they can book a slot to receive the vaccination at their nearest government facility,” said another official who is overseeing the programme.