Maharashtra Launches HPV Vaccination Drive for Girls on Women’s Day

The Maharashtra Health Department on Sunday (March 8, 2026) launched a statewide vaccination campaign against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) for girls between the ages of nine and 14. The initiative, introduced on International Women’s Day, aims to vaccinate around 9.84 lakh girls across the state as part of efforts to prevent cervical cancer.

The campaign was inaugurated in Mumbai by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who described the vaccination programme as an important preventive health measure.
“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.

Referring to the earlier ‘Mother is safe, family is safe’ initiative implemented during his tenure as Chief Minister, Mr. Shinde said the programme helped screen nearly three crore women for various health conditions.
He noted that approximately 10,000 women were diagnosed with cancer at an early stage during that initiative, enabling timely treatment and improved health outcomes.

Mr. Shinde also highlighted the role of mammography screening vehicles deployed in rural areas, which have screened 2.91 crore women so far. He said the government would consider procuring additional screening vehicles if required, with funding potentially sourced through the District Planning and Development Council (DPDC), the Goa, Daman and Diu (GDR) fund, or the state health budget.

Speaking about healthcare infrastructure, the Deputy Chief Minister stated that several hospital construction projects in the state are 60 to 70 percent complete. He added that the government is exploring options to secure low-interest funding from international institutions such as the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank to complete these projects.

Approval has also been granted to expand healthcare infrastructure through the public-private partnership (PPP) model, he said.

Mr. Shinde further mentioned that around ₹450 crore was distributed through the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to support 70,000–80,000 patients during his tenure as Chief Minister, adding that the fund continues to provide assistance under the current administration.

During the event, the Health Department also honoured women doctors, surgeons, nurses and health workers for their contributions to public health.

The programme was attended by Health Minister Prakash Abitkar, Minister of State for Health Meghna Bordikar, Principal Secretary (Health) Nipun Vinayak, and Health Commissioner Dr. alongside other officials.