Ludhiana, July 29 -- Nearly five months after the Punjab government launched the free human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign on February 28, and despite extending the drive by another 90 days after the initial phase witnessed a poor response, Ludhiana has managed to vaccinate only around 1,600 girls against an eligible target of nearly 30,000.

Health officials attribute the sluggish coverage to misinformation and vaccine hesitancy among parents, saying myths circulating on social media continue to discourage families from opting for the vaccine.

The campaign was launched across Punjab to provide free HPV vaccines to girls aged 14-15 years studying in government and private schools, to protect them against cervical cancer. It wa...