Interim Union Budget 2024: Govt to encourage cervical cancer vaccination for girls

Guwahati, Feb 1: In a new focus on the health of young girls, the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman declared on Thursday its commitment to actively encourage vaccination for girls aged 9–14 to combat cervical cancer. Sitharaman disclosed this initiative during her Interim Budget speech, additionally revealing plans to amalgamate various schemes addressing maternal and childcare into a unified and comprehensive programme.

"Our government will encourage vaccination for girls from the age group of 9 to 14 years for prevention of cervical cancer. Various schemes for maternal child care will be brought under one comprehensive programme for synergy in implementation, upgrades of anganwadi centres under saksham anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 will be expedited for improved nutrition delivery, early childhood care, and development," she said while presenting the interim budget 2024 in the Lok Sabha.

“Several youths are ambitious to get qualified as doctors. Our government plans to set up more medical colleges by utilising the existing hospital infrastructures under various departments. A committee for this purpose will be set up to examine the issues and make relevant recommendations," Sitharaman added.