Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], February 28 (ANI): Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu launched the State-Level HPV Vaccination Campaign against cervical cancer from IGMC Shimla on Saturday. He said that within the next 90 days, 65,000 girls aged 14 years across the state would receive the HPV vaccine.

According to an official release, appealing to parents, Panchayat representatives and health workers, the Chief Minister urged everyone to help make the campaign a success and stressed the importance of spreading public awareness.

Expressing concern over the rising number of cancer cases in the state, the Chief Minister said the state government was giving special priority to tackling the disease. He said that for the past 40 years, governments had continued with the same systems and approaches. To bring meaningful change, the state government adopted the slogan of 'Vyavastha Parivartan'.

He said that had the present state government continued in the same manner for five years as the previous governments did, Himachal Pradesh would have fallen significantly behind in the healthcare sector. He said that diseases such as cancer were treatable if diagnosed early and managed properly.

The Chief Minister said that a state-of-the-art cancer hospital would be constructed in Hamirpur at a cost of Rs 300 crore, which would ensure affordable and accessible treatment within the state.

He further said that within the next eight months, world-class equipment and advanced medical technology would be installed in IGMC and all medical colleges across the state. Over the next three years, modern facilities on the lines of AIIMS would also be provided in all zonal hospitals, model health institutions, Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs).

The government aims to develop health tourism in the next five years, which would benefit not only the people of the state but also doctors, paramedical staff and technicians working in the healthcare sector. Around Rs 3,000 crore would be spent on installing high-end medical equipment and machinery, a release stated.

The Chief Minister said that several reforms have been introduced in the health sector over the past three years. Along with doctors, posts for nurses and technical staff such as operation theatre assistants and radiographers have been approved and were being filled. He said that a modern 3 Tesla (3T) MRI machine was inaugurated at IGMC just yesterday, replacing a 19-year-old machine that had been in use. He said that true system transformation means understanding the problems of ordinary people and taking decisions for their welfare.

He further said that robotic surgery facilities would be introduced in all five medical colleges of the state. After the launch of robotic surgery at AIMSS Chamiyana Hospital and Tanda Medical College, the facility would also begin at IGMC on 10th March.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. (Col.) Dhani Ram Shandil said that the Chief Minister was giving special attention to the health and education sectors. He said unprecedented work was being carried out in healthcare, which future generations would remember. He said that Rs. 3,000 crore would be spent on installing high-end machines in the state.

Regarding the HPV vaccination drive, he said it would be included in the routine immunisation programme, and the vaccine would be provided free of cost to girls. The campaign would be conducted under the supervision of medical officers. He added that the initiative reflects the Chief Minister's visionary leadership and long-term planning.

MLA Harish Janartha, Suresh Kumar, Secretary Health M Sudha Devi, Director of Health Services Dr Gopal Berry, Director of Medical Education Rakesh Sharma, Mission Director NHM Pradeep Thakur and other dignitaries were present on the occasion, a release added. (ANI)