Pune: The state health department has vaccines for HPV, the main cause of cervical cancer, but is awaiting the Centre’s guidelines to start the inoculation drive.Dr Digambar Kangule, additional director of state health services, said, “We received over 9.5 lakh doses at our state vaccine storage facility in Nov 2025. The staff has been trained to vaccinate the recipients. But the drive cannot start without the guidelines. The single-dose vaccine will be given to girls above 14 years but under 15. The vaccine’s expiration ranges from Nov 2027 to Jan 2028.” —Steffy Thevar
