State Health Minister Prakash Abitkar said the three-month drive will commence on International Women's Day.

Maharashtra to Vaccinate 8.94 Lakh Girls with HPV Shot from March 8 to Prevent Cervical Cancer

The Maharashtra government will roll out a statewide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign from March 8, aiming to immunise more than 8.94 lakh adolescent girls aged 14 to 15 years against cervical cancer.

Announcing the initiative in the Legislative Council, State Health Minister Prakash Abitkar said the three-month drive will commence on International Women’s Day as part of the state’s preventive healthcare push focused on adolescent girls.

Abitkar informed the House that approximately 8.94 lakh girls in the 14–15 age group will be covered during the campaign. He further stated that another cohort of girls in the same age bracket will be included next year to ensure sustained coverage under the programme.

The move aligns with broader national efforts to strengthen preventive healthcare for women and adolescents. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a nationwide HPV vaccination campaign aimed at reducing the incidence of cervical cancer across the country.

The HPV vaccine is considered a key preventive measure against cervical cancer, one of the most common cancers affecting women in India.