Shillong: The Government of Meghalaya launched Teeka Talk, an initiative in collaboration with Girl Effect India and its implementation partner, Indian Social Responsibility Network, to strengthen awareness and engagement around Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination across the state.
The initiative was launched during a state-level meeting chaired by Dr. (Mrs) C. Iangrai, Director of Health Services (MCH&FW) cum Jt. Mission Director, National Health Mission. The meeting brought together 35+ stakeholders from the Health, Education and Social Welfare departments and MSRLS to strengthen coordination and community engagement around HPV vaccination.
The Government of Meghalaya is taking an important step to safeguard the health of its daughters by providing free HPV vaccination to girls aged 14 years at government health facilities. HPV vaccination, like other important childhood and adolescent vaccinations, can help prevent the HPV infections that cause most cervical cancers. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in India, with 78,499 women diagnosed and 42,392 lives lost (NCRP–ICMR, 2024). Vaccinating girls at the recommended age offers an important opportunity to protect them from cervical cancer later in life.
Teeka Talk strengthens this effort by enabling informed conversations on HPV vaccination across schools, communities and families. Its Teeka Talk-WhatsApp based chatbot provides parents, clear, credible information and answers to common questions about HPV vaccination and cervical cancer.
Dr. (Mrs) C. Iangrai, Director of Health Services (MCH&FW) cum Jt. Mission Director, National Health Mission, Government of Meghalaya, who launched the initiative, said: “Meghalaya is committed to ensuring that every eligible girl and her family has access to the information and support they need to make informed decisions about HPV vaccination. This requires coordinated efforts across Health, Education, MSRLS and Social Welfare departments, as well as strong engagement with schools and communities. Our collaboration with Girl Effect India through Teeka Talk will help strengthen these efforts and bring reliable information closer to families across the state.”
Dr. B.R. Marak, Jt. DHS (MCH&FW) cum SIO, Government of Meghalaya, said: “Cervical cancer continues to claim thousands of women’s lives in India. Today, we have a vaccine that can help prevent the HPV infections that cause most cervical cancers. We urge parents to vaccinate their 14-year-old daughters immediately and give them the protection that HPV vaccination can provide. Just as parents ensure their children receive other important vaccinations, HPV vaccination at the recommended age is an important step towards protecting girls from cervical cancer in the future.”
Kavita Ayyagari, Country Director, Girl Effect India, said: “For parents, a new vaccine can naturally bring questions about its safety, benefits and whether their daughter needs it. Teeka Talk is designed to make it easier for families to find clear and trustworthy answers—through schools, communities, parent engagement and digital platforms. By addressing questions in a language and format that families understand, we want to help parents feel informed and confident about HPV vaccination.”
The Meghalaya launch marks a step forward in strengthening coordinated communication and engagement around HPV vaccination. Perspectives from Shillong and Ri Bhoi districts informed the discussions on implementation, while representatives from the Health, Education and WCD departments discussed opportunities to strengthen outreach across communities. T. Shangrang, the District Secondary Education Officer-in-charge, Ri Bhoi mentioned the prevalence of myths and misconceptions among students regarding the HPV Vaccination and the need for short-form IEC videos that can be played in the schools, and the presence of technical experts during the health-related programmes in the schools.
Smt. Memorial Kharmalki, State Mission Manager, MSRLS said, “We request the health department to conduct the training on HPV vaccination for our staff and community cadres. This will help us to support the department on awareness campaigns and demand generation for HPV Vaccination”. She also mentioned the need for interdepartmental collaboration on the ground.
Dr. Rapbor Laloo, District Immunisation Officer, East Khasi Hills, mentioned that the various misinformation among the parents and in the community has resulted in low uptake of the HPV vaccination in the state. He also urged collective efforts from all stakeholders in spreading correct information and awareness around HPV Vaccination.
The next phase will focus on coordinated implementation across departments and districts, with a focus on school, parent and community engagement and ensuring that eligible adolescent girls and their families can access trusted information about HPV vaccination.