Health Minister C. Damodar Raja Narasimha interacts with a girl receiving the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine during the launch of the state’s HPV vaccination drive in Hyderabad on Sunday (March 8). | Photo credit: Special arrangement
Empowerment of women is essential for the progress of society. Women’s education helps take an entire generation forward and societies that prioritize women are truly developed, said Health Minister C. Damodar Raja Narasimha. He was speaking at an event held at Banjara Bhavan in Hyderabad on Sunday (March 8).
During the programme, the Minister launched a large-scale health screening initiative for 46 lakh women belonging to Self Help Groups (SHGs) across the state. An online booking portal Working Women’s Hostel was also unveiled, designed to provide safe and comfortable accommodation for women working outside their hometowns. In addition, a booklet was released highlighting the achievements of the Society for the Eradication of Rural Poverty (SERP) over the past year.
Under the screening programme, comprehensive health check-ups will be conducted for nearly 46 lakh women in 4.37 lakh self-help groups in 33 districts of Telangana. With the support of SERP, the women will be taken to nearby Primary Health Centers (PHCs) where around 30 types of tests, including blood pressure, blood sugar and thyroid, will be conducted free of charge.
The minister said that after the health screening, each woman will be provided with a digital health record with a QR code, which will be stored on the e-HMIS portal. A digital record will help monitor health status and enable timely treatment in the future.
From March 8, Telangana also started administering the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to girls above 14 years and below 15 years. About four million girls in this age group have been identified across the state for vaccination.
Published – March 8, 2026 6:41 PM IST
