AGRA: The District Women Hospital here ran out of its stock of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines three months ago, as a result of which young girls have been unable to avail the vaccines since.HPV infection can cause several types of cancers. Under a scheme, girls in the age group of nine to 14 years are given these shots to check cervical cancer, which, according to HPV India Report 2015 (HPV R-2015), is the most common form of cancer among women and the second most common cancer among girls in 15 to 44 years of age.More than 1.22 lakh women were diagnosed with cervical cancer, of which 67,477 died of the ailment in 2015, the report said. HPV vaccines in the market cost around Rs 6,000 but they are available for free at government hospitals.According to sources, around 20-30 girls, including schoolchildren, would visit the hospital asking for the vaccines and return without getting them. At the launch of the scheme early last year, around 1000 shots of the vaccine had been provided to the District Women Hospital. Anganwadi and ASHA workers had been tasked with making the scheme popular among young girls.The vaccines are given in two shots within an interval of five months. When contacted, superintendent of District Women Hospital, Dr Asha Sharma said, "We have not received a new stock of HPV vaccines and the ones we have left are being provided to only those who have taken the first round of the vaccines. We have requested for a new stock, so that the HPV vaccine can be given to new visitors at the hospital as well."

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