Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common viral infection that impacts millions of people worldwide. Estimates predict that around 50% of people will contract HPV at some point in their lives. Yet, despite this evident danger, the stigma surrounding STIs and STDs creates a barrier that prevents open discussion regarding the disease.
No to HPV is a social media-based organization that hopes to educate its followers and aid in eliminating the inherent stigma surrounding HPV. Co-founders and East students, Sujata Choudhury (‘25) and Rachna Mohan (‘25) turned their vision into reality through Instagram where detailed infographics are available for users.
These posts are useful to those who want to seek more knowledge about HPV. For example, the posts differentiate the impact of HPV on different people, whether it be men or pregnant mothers. They also provide their followers with various myths, facts, and statistics related to HPV which allow them to stay informed.
Choudhury thinks that “it’s important to talk about HPV prevention because right now in developing countries there is a huge death rate because of it, and even in America there are a lot of people affected by it but not everyone wants to speak up about it.”
Choudhury believes that the target audience for the organization isn’t limited to just one specific group. She thinks that because of the prevalence of the disease, everyone needs to be educated about getting the vaccine and using safe sexual practices. Utilizing social media allows the organization to have an extended reach beyond the local community. Third-world countries, due to their lack of education and increasing populations, especially need to be informed about HPV.
“There are a lot of people that pass it on but they don’t know what’s going on and they don’t know what it is. So, we want to make people more aware,” says Choudhury.
Additionally, Choudhury and Mohan want to further expand their organization. They hope to launch a program in the future which will contribute to HPV research. They also plan on creating a podcast where they can have necessary conversations related to HPV and make them available to listeners. Expanding their platform can only encourage more people to have access to the information the organization provides.
East students can contribute to the organization by joining its team, Be a Change. Applications are available on the No to HPV Instagram bio.
