The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Director General Prof Dr Md Abu Jafor has clarified that reports of students experiencing adverse effects or illness following the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in some areas have no link to the vaccine itself.
The DGHS has issued directives urging people not to spread rumors regarding the HPV vaccine.
Prof Jafor shared this information at a press conference on HPV vaccination held at the DGHS headquarters in Mohakhali, Dhaka, on Wednesday.
He said that the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) has set a target to vaccinate 6,212,559 individuals across seven divisions with the HPV vaccine this year, including 5,862,918 school students. To date, 3,446,618 students have registered, with 1,817,326 already vaccinated.
Prof Jafor noted that more than 1.8 million people have been vaccinated, and only 271 reported mild side effects—equivalent to a mere 0.14%. Generally, an incidence rate of 4% to 5% is considered significant for identifying side effects directly associated with the vaccine.
Referring to an incident in Bhola, he explained that two students initially received the vaccine and later reported feeling unwell, leading them to be placed in a separate room.
Observing this, other students in the area also fainted, although five of them had not received the vaccine. This reaction has been preliminarily attributed to psychological causes rather than physical effects of the vaccine.
Health experts clarified that mild symptoms like fever or body aches may sometimes occur post-vaccination, though they are no cause for concern. Such symptoms can even be an indicator of the vaccine’s effectiveness.
The press conference also highlighted that the HPV vaccine, which is highly effective and safe in preventing cervical cancer, is not associated with infertility.
The Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) has reviewed data and confirmed no link between the HPV vaccine and infertility.
The Additional Director General of Health Services, Md Rizwanur Rahman, and Line Director Dr Md Nizamuddin, along with other officials, were also present at the briefing.
