Vaccination against cervical cancer for adolescent girls to be implemented
The vaccination will be conducted at schools for enrolled girls, while out-of-school girls will be directed to health institutions to receive their shots.
KATHMANDU: The Nepalese government is set to initiate an HPV vaccination campaign targeting schoolgirls in grades 6 to 10 and out-of-school girls aged 10 to 14, in a bid to combat cervical cancer.
Dr. Abhiyan Gautam, head of the Child Health and Vaccination Branch at the Department of Health Services, announced that approximately 16,88,000 girls within this age group will receive the HPV vaccine.
Dr. Gautam explained that the campaign will run for around 15 days starting from the upcoming month of Magh and will be implemented in all municipalities.
The vaccination will be conducted at schools for enrolled girls, while out-of-school girls will be directed to health institutions to receive their shots.
Previously, the government administered the HPV vaccine to 9,999 girls as a demonstration project at one federal hospital in each of the seven states.
Dr. Gautam emphasized that this initiative marks the largest cervical cancer vaccination campaign in Nepal, aiming to prevent the disease, which reportedly claims the lives of four women annually in the country.
He highlighted that the HPV vaccine is provided free of charge, noting that it costs around NPR 6,000 when obtained outside the government program.
The vaccine was purchased with the support of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), and Dr. Gautam stated that it will be included in the regular vaccination program starting next year.
He urged both girls and their parents to participate in the campaign, emphasizing that the vaccine is effective for a lifetime after a single dose.
Dr. Arun Shahi, a senior cancer specialist at Patan Academy of Health Sciences, pointed out that the main cause of cervical cancer risk is the infection with the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). He stressed the importance of vaccination, as well as the need for girls to adopt preventive measures against the virus.
Factors contributing to HPV infection include early marriage, childbirth at a young age, multiple pregnancies, and neglect of genital hygiene.
Dr. Shahi noted that the vaccine is 99% effective, encouraging all girls to get vaccinated as part of this significant health initiative.
According to the Child Health and Vaccination Branch, cervical cancer is among the most prevalent cancers among women in Nepal, followed closely by breast cancer.
