A total of 188 female police personnel aged between 18 and 45 will receive Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination under a project led by icddr,b, supported by Community Bank Bangladesh PLC under its Corporate Social Responsibility programme.
The project is titled “Awareness, acceptance and barriers check by immunizing Human Papillomavirus vaccine among female police staff to prevent cervical cancer in Bangladesh,” said a press release on Thursday.
Unlike existing vaccination programmes that largely target adolescents, the project will focus on adult women in an organised workforce who are often excluded. Enrolment will be from the Armed Forces Police Battalion (AFPB), Dhaka, with selection coordinated by AFPB.
The initiative, led by icddr,b Assistant Scientist Rizwana Khan, will move forward in seven structured phases- ethical approvals and baseline surveys, awareness campaigns, vaccination delivery, monitoring and evaluation, and dissemination of results. Alongside HPV vaccination, the project will promote safe menstrual hygiene management and raise awareness to improve overall health and quality of life for female police staff.
A cheque handover ceremony was held at icddr,b. Bangladesh Police Inspector General and Community Bank Bangladesh PLC Chairman Md Ali Hossain Fakir, Community Bank Bangladesh PLC Managing Director Mohammed Emtiaz Uddin and icddr,b Executive Director Tahmeed Ahmed received the support alongside senior colleagues.
