HPV vaccination workshops held in Kiphire and Mon to address vaccine hesitancy and improve coverage.
DIMAPUR — District-level workshops to strengthen Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage were held in Kiphire and Mon districts, focusing on improving community awareness, addressing vaccine hesitancy and strengthening coordination among government departments and stakeholders.
In Kiphire, the District Task Force on Immunisation (DTFI), in collaboration with Jhpiego, organised a workshop at the conference hall of the District Hospital on Monday.
The workshop aimed to review the progress of HPV vaccination in the district, identify challenges and opportunities, and develop strategies to strengthen programme implementation through coordinated efforts among line departments and stakeholders, according to a DIPR report.
Jhpiego presented the objectives of the workshop and provided an overview of the HPV vaccination programme, while the district immunisation officer highlighted the status of vaccination in Kiphire, outlining the progress made, existing challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
The workshop focused on sensitising participating departments and stakeholders to the importance of HPV vaccination in preventing cervical cancer, and promoting community mobilisation and awareness. Discussions also covered communication resources, key messages on HPV vaccination, and strategies to address misconceptions, concerns, and vaccine hesitancy.
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An open discussion was held to encourage stakeholder participation and identify practical measures to improve vaccination coverage across the district.
Meanwhile, a district-level coordination workshop to strengthen HPV vaccination uptake was held at the DRDA Hall in Mon on October 9.
The workshop brought together officials from the district administration, health department personnel, representatives of Jhpiego, Konyak Nyupuh Sheko Khong (KNSK), churches, educational institutions, student organisations and other stakeholders to discuss strategies for improving HPV vaccination coverage.
The workshop focused on addressing the low uptake of HPV vaccination in Mon district through enhanced community awareness, stakeholder engagement, vaccine confidence and collective action.
Deputy Commissioner of Mon, Wennyei Konyak, underscored the importance of community awareness and parental education in ensuring the success of public health initiatives.
He encouraged school authorities, churches, student organisations and community leaders to actively disseminate information about HPV vaccination and address concerns among parents.
He stressed that sustained awareness and community acceptance were essential to encourage eligible girls to receive the vaccine.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Mon, Dr. Supongmenla Walling, acknowledged the support of Jhpiego in assisting the district with its vaccination efforts and highlighted the need to address challenges contributing to low acceptance of the vaccine.
Presenting the current status of HPV vaccination in Mon district, the CMO informed that against a target of 2,235 beneficiaries, 118 vaccination sessions had been planned, of which 116 were conducted. However, only 54 adolescent girls had been vaccinated, highlighting the need for intensified efforts to improve coverage.
Representing Jhpiego, Senior Advisor Raju Tamang highlighted the critical role of stakeholder participation in improving vaccination coverage.
He noted that while the health department remained the primary implementing agency, the involvement of schools, faith-based organisations, civil society groups, community organisations and local leaders was essential to build public trust and encourage eligible beneficiaries to access vaccination services.
Tamang also highlighted the importance of learning from successful vaccination initiatives in neighbouring states and adapting effective approaches to the local context.
He encouraged stakeholders to work collectively with the health department to mobilise communities, strengthen vaccine confidence and facilitate access to vaccination services.
A stakeholder discussion was subsequently held to identify specific actions that different organisations and institutions could undertake to improve vaccination uptake.