A novel concept: Mother-daughter pairs-'screen the mother-vaccinate the daughter'

Objectives: To achieve WHO global targets in screening and vaccination for cervical cancer elimination. Methods: It is a novel concept in collaboration with two charities. Started in August 2019. Study design: Support was sought from charities/NGOs/Corporates for school-based HPV vaccination of girls along with screening of mothers for cervical cancer. An awareness program was conducted in each school. Parental consent was obtained. Girls were invited in batches along with their mothers to the hospital. Quadrivalent vaccine was given to the girls and their mothers had co-testing with LBC and HPV. Vaccination cards are given. Data is electronically maintained. Social media is used to spread the message about the project. Results: School 1 (Aganampudi): All the 73 girls studying in the 10th class are enrolled. There were 35 girls who were 14 years old, while 38 girls were C 15 years. In 67 girls, all the requisite doses of HPV Vaccine were completed in spite of COVID-19 pandemic. In 6 girls, only 2 doses were completed;the 3rd dose was missed as they left for their native place following closure of school. All the 73 mothers were above 30 years of age. None had abnormal results on co-testing with LBC and HPV. School 2 (Appapuram): All the 61 girls studying 6th standard to 10th standard in a village school are enrolled. Majority of the girls (37/73) were in the 10 to 14 years age group. There were 24 girls who were 15 years or above. All the girls completed the requisite doses, in spite of the Covid 19 pandemic. Fifty-six mothers were screened. Only 1 woman had an abnormal Pap smear with ASCUS but negative for HPV. She is on follow-up. Conclusions: Creation of awareness in mothers and daughters simultaneously had a greater impact on screening and vaccination. This novel concept achieves two of the three objectives of WHO's targets for elimination of cervical cancer. Collaboration with charities and non-governmental organisations with funding from corporates under corporate social responsibility can help eliminate cervical cancer in India.