The President and Trustees of Surat Parsi Panchayat (SPP) organized an HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) vaccine camp on May 04^th, 2023, to provide injectable vaccine, free of cost, for the prevention of Cervical Cancer, for Parsi girls and ladies, between 10 and 45 years of age, at Seth R D Tarachand Surat Parsi General Hospital, Surat. HPV vaccine helps in the prevention of Cervical Cancer in women.

87 Parsi women and girls benefitted from this camo, with 33 girls (upto age 26) administered quadrivalent ‘Cervavac’ vaccine (priced at Rs. 3,100/-) and 57 ladies (27 to 45 years) administered quadrivalent ‘Gardasil’ vaccine (priced at Rs. 2,890/-).

SPP President – Dr. Homi D. Doodhwala, Dr. (Mrs) Persis Doodhwala and Padmashree Yezdi Karanjia were also present at the camp, which was organized with the cooperation of ZWAS (Zoroastrian Women’s Assembly of Surat), with many SPP staff and ZWAS members volunteering to help the staff nurses of Parsi General Hospital, managed by SPP.

The second and third doses of the vaccine will be given after two and six months, respectively, based on the requirement, free of cost by SPP to recipients of the first dose. SPP will organise a repeat camp for ladies who were unable to attend this one.

Up to 93% of Cervical Cancers are preventable by taking the HPV vaccines, which prove more efficient in younger women. These vaccines also prevent vulvar and vaginal cancers to some extent. Cervavac vaccine is an Indian Govt. approved vaccine produced by Serum Institute of India.