Hyderabad, Feb. 24 -- The Universal Health Organisation (UHO) has raised major concerns against the statewide Human Papillomavirus Vaccination (HPV) programme to adolescent girls, which the Telangana government is preparing to launch as part of efforts to prevent cervical cancer.

In a letter addressed to the Minister of Health and Family Welfare, UHO's Damodar Rajanarasimha said that while they support the goal of reducing the burden of cervical cancer, they are "gravely concerned that the proposed rollout may proceed without adequate safeguards."

Citing the earlier vaccination drives conducted in the undivided Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat between 2009 and 2010, the organisation said the girl recipients had reported severe effects. A fact...