The Health and Family Welfare Department in Ballari has launched a district-wide vaccination campaign to protect adolescent girls from cervical cancer with 5,658 of them aged 14 already administered the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine free.

District Health and Family Welfare Officer Yalla Ramesh Babu appealed to parents not to pay heed to rumours and misinformation regarding the vaccine and ensure that eligible girls receive vaccination.

In a press release issued on Monday, he said that HPV infection, which spreads due to poor personal hygiene and unsafe sexual contact, can eventually lead to cervical cancer.

Administering the vaccine at the age of 14 is one of the most effective preventive measures, he said and added that the vaccine can help prevent cervical cancer by up to 99%.

The vaccination drive which began on March 11 will continue for 90 days.

All 14-year-old girls are eligible to get the vaccine. Parents have been asked to accompany their children and produce the child’s birth certificate at the time of vaccination.

District Reproductive Child Health Officer Hanumanthappa clarified that no adverse effects have been reported among children who have received the vaccine so far.

The department has set a target of vaccinating 16,495 girls across the district. Of these, 5,658 girls have already been covered.

According to taluk-wise progress details, Ballari taluk has a target of vaccinating 7,578 girls, of whom 2,324 have received the vaccine so far.

In Sandur taluk, 881 out of 2,840 eligible girls have been vaccinated, while in Siruguppa taluk, 1,453 out of 3,054 girls have been covered.

Similarly, 630 out of 1,543 girls in Kurugodu taluk and 370 out of 1,480 girls in Kampli taluk have been vaccinated.

Dr. Ramesh Babu urged the public not to believe in false information circulating on social media regarding the vaccine and called upon parents to protect their children against cervical cancer through timely vaccination.

He advised parents to contact the nearest government hospital or health centre for further information or vaccination facilities.