In Ladakh, the Hill Development Council Leh is set to launch the Human Papillomavirus Vaccination (HPV) drive for school-going adolescent girls in the age group of 9 to 14 years on the 27th of this month. It is being financed by the Hill Council Leh under its Subsidy component of the annual District Capex Budget. This historic drive will be launched by the Nobel Laureate, Tibetan Spiritual leader Dalai Lama. This will be the first-ever HPV vaccination drive in Ladakh. Under this drive, around 340 school-going adolescent girls studying in classes 10th to 12th in government-run schools in both rural and urban areas will be administered the HPV vaccines.

Chief Executive Councillor Leh, Tashi Gyalsion, has directed the district Chief Education Officer to identify the eligible beneficiaries of girl students studying in residential and non-residential schools to make an effective vaccination roadmap for the drive.