India, March 20 -- Maharashtra's Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination drive for girls who have completed 14 years but are yet to turn 15 has seen a slow start, covering less than 1% of the nearly 9.84 lakh target population since its launch on March 8. Health officials attribute the low initial turnout to stigma around female health and misinformation circulating on social media.

According to data from the public health department, 8,459 vaccination sessions were conducted across the state till March 18, but only 8,828 girls were vaccinated - about 0.90% of the target. Officials expect coverage to improve with intensified information, education and communication (IEC) activities and outreach through community and religious leaders.

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