HPV Vaccination Campaign Launched in 56 Districts Against Cervical Cancer

The 'Human Papillomavirus' (HPV) vaccination campaign against cervical cancer has been launched in 493 local levels across 56 districts.

Dr. Abhiyan Gautam, Chief of the Child Health and Vaccination Branch at the Department of Health Services, informed that the vaccination campaign is being conducted in 493 local levels across 56 districts, excluding 21 districts in the Himalayan and hilly regions. He stated that since the campaign began on Magh 25, the vaccination drive in the Himalayan and hilly districts will be conducted in Chaitra due to the expected cold weather and snowfall.

According to him, the campaign has started in 88 local levels in 9 districts of Koshi, 85 local levels in 8 districts of Madhesh, 94 local levels in 10 districts of Bagmati, 95 local levels in 11 districts of Gandaki/Lumbini, 31 local levels in five districts of Karnali, and 70 local levels in eight districts of Sudurpashchim Province.

The government has launched the vaccination campaign to protect adolescent girls studying in Grade 6, girls aged 10 who are out of school, and adolescent girls currently studying from Grade 7 to 10 and those aged 11 to 14 who are out of school and missed last year's HPV vaccination drive, from cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine must be administered against the Human Papillomavirus infection, which is the main cause of increased risk of cervical cancer.

According to Branch Chief Dr. Gautam, approximately 350,000 children will be administered the HPV vaccine against cervical cancer during the 20-day campaign. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in Nepal, and it is the leading cause of cancer-related death among women.