Sri Vijaya Puram, May 6: In a significant step towards promoting women’s health and cancer prevention, the Inner Wheel Club (IWC) of Port Blair, in collaboration with State Bank of India (SBI) and Arun Hospital, organized a large-scale Awareness Program on the Prevention of Cervical Cancer at the Government Senior Secondary School Auditorium, Sri Vijaya Puram.
The initiative, titled “Awareness Camp on Prevention of Cervical Cancer among Girls and Young Women through HPV Vaccination,” drew participation from around 300 girl students, their mothers, and teachers from various government schools across the region. The event focused on building awareness, encouraging early screening through Pap Smears, and most importantly, promoting HPV vaccination as an effective preventive measure.
The program began with a welcome address by IWC President Mrs. Neeta Agarwal, who briefed the audience on the club’s 30 years of humanitarian service in the Islands and emphasized the urgent need for awareness around cervical cancer. She reaffirmed IWC’s commitment to women’s health and empowerment.
Past President and Brand Ambassador for Cervical Cancer Vaccination, Dr. Poonam Arora addressed the psychological dimensions of the issue and strongly encouraged mothers and daughters to consider HPV vaccination as a vital safeguard.
Dr. Archana Singh, Principal of the Girls’ School, underscored the importance of educating young girls on this critical health topic and expressed gratitude to the Inner Wheel Club and its partners for organizing the timely event.
Gynecologist Dr. Suman Lakra engaged the audience with an informative and empathetic session explaining the causes, symptoms, and prevention of cervical cancer. She highlighted HPV vaccination as the most effective form of protection.
To deepen understanding, a short educational film on cervical cancer was screened, which captured the attention and interest of the students and their guardians.
Representing SBI, Shri Subhojit Ghosh extended the bank’s commitment to sponsoring HPV vaccinations for girls from the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category. He also provided valuable information on educational loan schemes available for students pursuing higher education.
The program concluded with a heartfelt Vote of Thanks by Joint Secretary Mrs. Priya Krishna, acknowledging the contributions of all speakers, collaborators, and participants. The event was smoothly anchored by Treasurer Mrs. Usha Stephen.