NEW DELHI: Director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Dr M. Srinivas, has urged parents, teachers, community leaders and healthcare professionals to actively support the nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination drive launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Welcoming the campaign initiated by the Union Health Ministry, Dr Srinivas described the programme as a transformative step in India’s public health journey. He said the initiative holds the potential to save countless lives by preventing cervical cancer, one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women in the country.
Highlighting the urgency of the issue, he noted that cervical cancer claims tens of thousands of lives annually, despite being largely preventable. “The HPV vaccine is safe, scientifically validated and highly effective,” he said, emphasising that systematic vaccination of adolescent girls aged 9 to 14 years can provide strong protection against the disease.
Dr Srinivas reiterated that preventive healthcare remains the cornerstone of a resilient health system. Vaccination, he said, is among the most cost-effective public health interventions, reducing not only the disease burden but also the long-term emotional and financial strain on families.
Calling for collective action, he appealed to stakeholders across communities to ensure that every eligible girl benefits from the life-saving intervention. “We stand at a pivotal moment to build a future where cervical cancer is no longer a public health threat in India,” he said.