Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, Satara Zilla Parishad sign MoU, to vaccinate 2,800 girls with cervical cancer vaccination

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL) has signed a district-level Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Satara Zilla Parishad, through their CSR implementation partner – Jivika Foundation to vaccinate 2,800 schoolgirls against cervical cancer.

The immunisation drive covered schools across four districts –  Gadchiroli, Satara, Raigad, and Mumbai, mobilising over 50 medical professionals and operational staff to ensure smooth and efficient vaccine administration. This initiative is part of the flagship Cervical Cancer Mukt Bharat Abhiyan by Jivika Foundation.

Ahead of the vaccination drive, an awareness campaign was conducted across 50+ schools, engaging over 1000 teachers, reaching more than 5,000 students and 5000 parents. The objective was to educate students, parents, and educators on cervical health, early screening, and prevention. Healthcare protocols of Jivika Foundation ensured written consent from parents before vaccinating their wards.

Amit Nabira, CSR Head, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, said, “Through this initiative, we aim to protect young girls from cervical cancer and raise awareness about preventive healthcare. We are honoured to collaborate with Satara Zilla Parishad and Jivika Foundation in this important mission.”

Yashni Nagrajan, Chief Executive Officer, Satara Zilla Parishad, stated, “Mission Tejaswini is a crucial step in protecting women’s health and reducing the cancer burden. Appreciate MDL’s support in immunisation program to achieve our endeavour for cancer-free Satara.”

Jignesh Patel, Founder & Director, Jivika Foundation, commented, “Preventive healthcare is the need of the hour, and cervical cancer is one of the most preventable diseases with timely vaccination. Through this initiative, we are not only providing protection but also spreading awareness among students, teachers, and parents.”

At vaccination sites, Jivika Foundation aimed to ensure logistics with a safety-first approach, AEFI (Adverse Events Following Immunisation) preparedness, and a team of qualified doctors, nurses, and counsellors on-site to ensure safety and risk mitigation. Additionally, robust cold chain logistics and last-mile delivery mechanisms enabled vaccine access to even the most remote schools while maintaining efficacy. Jivika Foundation is working towards eliminating cervical cancer from India by working with corporates across India.  So far the not-for-profit has been successful in vaccinating more than 30000 girls from lower economic strata in states of Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka.

Mission Tejaswini is Satara Zilla Parishad’s flagship initiative aimed at cancer prevention, early screening, and free treatment at government hospitals. As part of this mission, Jivika Foundation is raising awareness and administering HPV vaccinations to school girls.