Chaitanya Sravanthi president Dr. Shirin Rahaman (right) interacting with a girl who took the HPV vaccine shot. Police Commissioner Shanka Bratha Bagchi and other officials attended the camp held in Visakhapatnam on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
A two-day HPV vaccination camp, jointly organised by Natco Trust, Lions Club of Visakhapatnam Charitable Trust and Chaitanya Sravanthi, an NGO concluded on Sunday. Nearly 600 girls were administered the vaccine, which protects girls from cervical cancer in the future.
The camp was held for girl children of police personnel and Home Guards, in the age group of 9 to 14 years. The vaccine is given in two doses six months apart.
Police Commissioner Shankhabrata Bagchi, who inaugurated the camp on Saturday, expressed hope that the HPV vaccine would soon be included in the national immunisation programme. He commended Dr. Shirin Rahaman, president of Chaitanya Sravanthi for the initiative. The Commissioner said that the police department would soon organise a rally on Beach Road to raise public awareness about cervical cancer.
He urged NGO s and social service organisations to organise health camps for diseases like hepatitis, pnuemonia and typhoid as the police personnel, who work round the clock were exposed to the vagaries of the weather.
Dr. Shirin Rahaman said that the HPV vaccine is completely safe and there was no cause for worry. Though an expensive she called for expanding the HPV vaccination programme to rural areas to safeguard girls in villages. She appealed to the Central and State government to support the mission.
Dr. Sarojini, a retired DM&HO and Lions Cancer Hospital Managing Trustee Umamaheswara Rao were among those who spoke.
Published – December 14, 2025 11:09 pm IST
