Photo: BSS

KHULNA, Aug 23, 2026 (BSS) –Experts at a workshop here today urged all concern to administer HPV vaccines to the adolescent girls for preventing cervical cancer.

“According to government directives, all 10-year-old girls across the country should be brought under HPV vaccination,” said director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof Dr Prabhat Chandra Biswas  at the workshop   describing the HPV vaccine as a major milestone in protecting public health.

Speaking as the chief guest at the function, he stressed the need to ensure 100 percent coverage of HPV vaccination under the routine Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) to prevent the cervical cancer.

The day-long workshop on “Integrated EPI, HPV, Open SRP and Health Programme Review in Khulna Division” was held at Hotel City Inn in the  city.

Probhat Chandra Biswas said vaccination against HPV would help protect girls from cervical cancer and called for increased media campaigns to raise public awareness about the vaccine.

He also suggested that imams of mosques could inform worshippers about the importance of HPV vaccination through the Islamic Foundation.

“If officials and employees involved in healthcare can perform their responsibilities with sincerity and accountability, it will be possible to build a healthy nation,” he added.

Director of the Khulna Divisional Health Office Dr Sheikh Md Mosharraf Hossain presided over the workshop.

Additional Divisional Commissioner (Revenue) Sifat Mehnaz and UNICEF Health Manager Dr Riyad Mahmud attended the event as special guests.

Director of Khulna Family Planning Office Md Mozammel Haque, Director of Management Information System (MIS) Dr Abdullah Al Mamun, UNICEF Khulna Chief Md Kawsar Hossain, EPI Assistant Director Dr Sabbir Haider and Assistant Director of the Khulna Divisional Health Office Dr Aparna Biswas also spoke at the workshop.

Officials from the divisional, district and upazila levels presented reports on the implementation and progress of different health programmes.

Civil surgeons from all 10 districts of Khulna division, physicians, Upazila Health and Family Planning Officers, EPI superintendents, district primary education officers, representatives of UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), teachers and students, and NGO representatives, among others, participated in the workshop.

The participants reviewed the progress of integrated EPI, HPV vaccination, Open SRP and other health programmes in the division and discussed measures to strengthen their implementation.