Kerala lags in HPV vaccination; Malappuram ranks lowest among districts

Kozhikode: Kerala, which takes pride on its achievements in healthcare, is lagging in HPV vaccination aimed at preventing cervical cancer. Lack of awareness and fear of vaccination are cited as the reasons.

Kerala recorded one of the lowest vaccination rates in the national campaign to provide free HPV vaccines to 14-year-old girls across the country. Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram achieved 100 per cent coverage. Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Assam crossed 90 per cent, while Karnataka achieved 85 per cent. Kerala is among five states where the average vaccination coverage is only around 60 per cent.

According to data from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, more than 8 million HPV vaccine doses have been administered across the country. In Kerala, 1,72,747 of the 2,68,864 girls targeted for vaccination have received the vaccine, accounting for 64.25 per cent coverage.

Pathanamthitta leads the state with 97.08 per cent of the targeted girls vaccinated. Malappuram has the lowest coverage at just 31.20 per cent. Of the 44,929 girls targeted in the district, only 14,017 have received the vaccine.

The vaccination programme aims to protect against human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause cervical cancer.