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Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Minister: HPV vaccination for Plus 1 & 2 students soon
T'puram: Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for Plus One and Plus Two students will be initiated in the state to prevent cervical cancer, said health minister Veena George on Monday. A technical committee will meet within a week for a final decision on the vaccine. "Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women. HPV vaccine is most effective for ages 9 to 14 years, but it can be administered up to the age of 26 years. Cervical cancer is preventable through vaccination and the state made this significant decision based on chief minister's directive," said a statement issued by the minister. The state is undertaking significant efforts to achieve a cervical cancer-free Kerala, she said. "An awareness campaign about HPV vaccination will also be organised. Awareness messages will be prepared according to the technical committee's guidelines. Special awareness will be provided at the school level as the students are in Plus One and Plus Two. Parents will also be informed of the need for administering the vaccination to their children," she added. Health department is conducting robust activities for cancer prevention, said George. "A cancer care grid has been established to coordinate diagnosis and treatment. As part of cancer prevention, a public campaign titled 'Health is Happiness, Keep Cancer Away' was launched. Over 1.7 million people were screened," she said, adding that the campaign would be further strengthened.
India Today
3 days ago
- Health
- India Today
Kerala to give HPV vaccines to Class 11, 12 students to prevent cervical cancer
In a major public health initiative, the Kerala Health Department has decided to administer the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to Plus One and Plus Two students across the state to prevent cervical cancer. Health Minister Veena George announced the plan following a high-level meeting held under her vaccine, which is most effective when administered between the ages of 9 and 14, can be given up to the age of 26. The final decision on the rollout will be taken in a technical committee meeting scheduled within a week. Minister Veena George said the move is in line with the Chief Minister's directive to work towards a cervical cancer-free cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women, and the HPV vaccine is considered a key preventive measure. To ensure effective implementation, the state will also launch an awareness campaign tailored for both students and their parents. Special messaging will be developed as per the recommendations of the technical committee and delivered at the school level. The vaccination drive is part of a broader cancer prevention strategy in the state. Kerala has already formed a cancer care grid to coordinate diagnosis and treatment services. In addition, the state recently launched the campaign 'Arogyam Anandam Akattam Arbudam', through which over 17 lakh people have been screened so Health Department aims to build awareness and ensure wide participation in the vaccination drive, taking another step towards eliminating cervical cancer in Kerala.- Ends IN THIS STORY#Kerala
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
HPV vaccination for adolescent girls on the anvil
The Kerala Government will offer HPV vaccination to adolescent girls in Plus One and Plus Two classes free of cost to prevent cervical cancer, Health Minister Veena George said here. The State technical advisory group on immunisation (STAGI) will meet to take a final call on this within a week, she added Cervical cancer, caused by the Humanpapilloma virus (HPV), is one of the commonest cancers among women, for which an effective vaccine is currently available. Though the recommended age for HPV vaccination is 11-12 years, the vaccine is approved for use from as early as nine years . Early vaccination is recommended so that there is maximum immune response and to provide protection before any potential exposure to the virus. However, the vaccine is recommended up to 26 years of age if not previously vaccinated. The State will launch a major initiative to create awareness on cervical cancer and HPV vaccination across the State. The awareness messages will be prepared and directed towards the target audience strictly as per the recommendations of STAGI . Special awareness classes will be conducted at the school-level for adolescent girls. Parents will be taken into confidence and awareness classes will be directed at them too. The Health department has been organising several initiatives to prevent and check cancer. Diagnosis and treatment is being coordinated by networking all cancer treatment centres across the State into a Cancer Care Grid. The cancer screening campaign is also being strengthened and over 17 lakh persons have already participated in the ongoing screening campaign. The Additional Chief Secretary (Health), NHM State Mission Director, Director of Health Services, Director of Medical Education, the heads of cancer treatment centres and senior health officials were present at the meeting.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Seven more health institutions in Kerala get NQAS certification
T'puram: Seven more health institutions in the state have secured the prestigious National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) certification, taking the total number of accredited facilities in the state to 240, health minister Veena George said on Friday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Among the newly certified institutions, the Begur family health centre in Wayanad scored the highest with 98.79%, followed by the Koppam community health centre in Palakkad with 97.63%, and the Perumanna family health centre in Kozhikode with 95.08%. Among others, the Chaliyar family health centre in Kozhikode secured 94.47%, the Kunnamangalam family health centre in Kozhikode got 90.75%, the Chattanchal family health centre in Kasaragod scored 86.88%, and the Panathur family health centre in Kasaragod received 85.88%. With these additions, Kerala now has 240 NQAS-accredited health institutions, including seven district hospitals, five taluk hospitals, 12 community health centres, 46 urban family health centres, 160 family health centres, and 10 Janakeeya health centres. In addition to NQAS, 14 hospitals in the state have secured the National Lakshya certification for quality maternal healthcare, while five others have been awarded the Muskan certification for child-friendly services. The NQAS certification is valid for a period of three years, after which a reassessment is carried out by a national-level team. Annual inspections are also conducted at the state level to ensure continued compliance with quality benchmarks. Accredited institutions receive financial incentives to support service quality. Family and urban family health centres are allotted Rs 2 lakh each annually, Janakeeya health centres receive Rs 18,000 per service package, and other hospitals are granted Rs 10,000 per bed every year. The minister said that these recognitions reflect the state's focused efforts to improve primary healthcare delivery and maintain high standards across all levels of the public health system.
India Today
21-07-2025
- Health
- India Today
Kerala has 571 on Nipah contact list, 27 at highest risk, says Health Minister
Kerala has placed 571 people on the Nipah virus contact list across five districts, Health Minister Veena George said after a high-level review meeting on contact list includes 62 individuals from Malappuram, 418 from Palakkad, 89 from Kozhikode, and one each from Ernakulam and people are currently under treatment in isolation in Malappuram. One person in Palakkad is also being treated in isolation. Meanwhile, ten people, one from Malappuram, two from Palakkad, and seven from Kozhikode, have been removed from the contact list after completing their isolation According to the health department, 27 people in the state fall under the highest risk category, while 78 are considered high health minister chaired a meeting with top officials, including the Additional Chief Secretary of Health, NHM State Mission Director, Directors of Health and Medical Education, District Collectors, police officials, and other department heads, to assess the situation and coordinate containment intensified surveillance follows the second Nipah-related death reported in Kerala last week. A 57-year-old man from Mannarkkad in Palakkad died after developing severe respiratory distress, initial tests confirmed Nipah a death was reported in Malappuram this year. In 2024, the state also saw another death linked to Nipah virus officials continue to urge vigilance and adherence to protocols to prevent further spread.- EndsMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Kerala
