The Assam Government has decided to launch a scheme to administer anti-cervical cancer vaccines to all the class IX girl students of the State at free-of-cost in a phase manner. The programme will be launched as a pilot project initially in 10 districts from October next. Disclosing this to newsmen in Dispur, the State Health Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sharma said the number of the targeted group would be around one lakh and the drive would cost the State exchequer to the tune of 60 crore rupees. He said a proposal to this effect has been approved by the State Chief Minister Mr. Tarun Gogoi. Dr. Sharma said the World Health Organization has recommended the vaccines which help check the human papilloma virus that causes cervical cancer. This form of cancer was mostly prevalent in women who were from disadvantaged background, had multiple sexual partners, early marriage or several children. The Minister informed that the vaccine is effective in women before they become sexually active, bringing the incidence of cervical cancer cases down by around 60 per cent. Dr. Sharma mentioned that 8 per cent of the total 62,000 cancer cases detected in Assam was cervical cancer patients.<br/>