Dhaka:Community Bank Bangladesh PLC has provided financial backing under its Corporate Social Responsibility program to icddr,b to facilitate an HPV vaccination and awareness campaign targeting cervical cancer prevention among female police personnel.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the initiative, titled 'HPV Vaccination, Awareness Creation, and Barrier Mitigation for Cervical Cancer Prevention among Female Police Personnel,' addresses significant health risks faced by women in Bangladesh. The program is set to vaccinate 188 female members aged 18 to 45 from the Armed Police Battalion, thus extending vaccination efforts to adult working women, beyond the ongoing adolescent immunization campaigns.
The project is spearheaded by icddr,b Assistant Scientist Dr. Rizwana Khan and will be carried out in seven phases, which include ethical approval, a baseline survey, awareness sessions, vaccination, monitoring, evaluation, and final reporting. The initiative also aims to promote menstrual hygiene and general health awareness.
A symbolic check was presented during an event at icddr,b in the capital. Key attendees included Md. Ali Hossain Fakir, Inspector General of Police and Chairman of Community Bank, the bank's Managing Director Mohammad Imtiaz Uddin, and icddr,b Executive Director Dr. Tahmeed Ahmed, along with senior officials from both organizations.
Inspector General of Police Ali Hossain Fakir emphasized the importance of the initiative, highlighting that the health and safety of female police personnel are priorities, and noted that workplace-based vaccination programs set a valuable precedent.