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The State Health Department on Sunday (March 8, 2026) launched a vaccination campaign against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) for girls aged nine to 14 years. The initiative, rolled out on International Women’s Day, targets inoculating approximately 9.84 lakh girls across the State to prevent cervical cancer.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde launched the campaign in Mumbai. He said the decision to administer the vaccine is a preventive measure against a rising health concern. “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,” Mr. Shinde said.
Recalling the ‘Mother is safe, family is safe’ initiative from his tenure as Chief Minister, he noted that three crore women were screened. He stated that around 10,000 women were diagnosed with cancer at an early stage during that campaign, enabling timely intervention.
Mr. Shinde added that eight mammography screening vehicles deployed in villages have screened 2.91 crore women so far. He said the government would consider procuring more vehicles if required, with funding potentially sourced from the District Planning and Development Council (DPDC), the Goa, Daman and Diu (GDR) fund, or the State health budget.
On health infrastructure, the Deputy Chief Minister said several hospital buildings in the state are 60 to 70% complete. He stated that efforts are being made to secure funding at low interest rates from institutions such as the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank to complete them. Approval has also been granted to develop health infrastructure through the public-private partnership (PPP) model.
Mr. Shinde said approximately ₹450 crore was disbursed from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to 70,000-80,000 patients during his tenure as Chief Minister. He added that the fund continues to provide assistance under the current administration.
On the occasion, the Health Department felicitated women doctors, surgeons, nurses, and health workers for their contributions to public health. Health Minister Prakash Abitkar, Minister of State for Health Meghna Bordikar, Principal Secretary (Health) Nipun Vinayak, and Health Commissioner Dr. were present.
Published – March 09, 2026 07:15 am IST
