A total of 33,000 teenage girls will be brought under immunization in Khulna city during the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine programme beginning on October 24.

All the girls aged between 10 and 14 will be vaccinated during the 18-day-long vaccination programme. The information was revealed during an advocacy meeting at the conference room of Khulna City Health Building today. Khulna City Corporation (KCC) organised the meeting.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of KCC Lasker Tazul Islam addressed the meeting as the chief guest with KCC Chief Health Officer Dr Swapon Kumar Halder in the chair.

Divisional Director of the Department of Health Services Dr Md Monzurul Murshid, Civil Surgeon Dr Shafiqul Islam, Deputy Chief Officer of Khulna Press Information Department (PID) M Javed Iqbal, and KCC’s Health Officer Dr Sharif Shamiul Islam, also spoke on the occasion.

Medical Officer of World Health Organisation (WHO) Dr Nazmur Rahman Sazeeb presented the keynote paper.

He said HPV-related cancers, including cervical cancer, can be prevented through the vaccine as HPV vaccination can act as the body’s frontline defence, shielding it from HPV infection and other associated diseases and cancers.

The meeting was told that the government has been providing the vaccine free of cost.

The targeted people have been asked to register their names on www.vaxepi.gov.bd website to get the vaccine.

KCC’s health officials, government officials, primary and secondary school teachers and NGO representatives attended the meeting.