Over 237,000 girls receive HPV vaccine

According to Dr. Abhiyan Gautam, Chief of the Child Health and Immunization Section at the Department of Health Services, a total of 237,972 girls were vaccinated during the campaign held from Feb 8 to 27.

Among them, 215,314 girls received the vaccine under the regular immunization program, while 22,648 girls who had missed last year’s HPV vaccination campaign were also covered.

Dr. Gautam said the regular immunization group included 201,089 sixth-grade students and 13,585 out-of-school girls aged 10.

Similarly, the campaign vaccinated 14,586 students currently studying in grades 7 to 10 who had missed the HPV vaccine in the previous campaign.

In addition, 8,049 out-of-school girls aged 11 to 14 also received the vaccine.

The vaccines were administered at schools and health institutions across the country.

However, vaccination data from Dhanusha, Mahottari, Arghakhanchi, Gulmi, Palpa, and Rolpa districts are yet to be received, Dr. Gautam added.

Vaccination Yet to Begin in Four Himalayan Districts

The HPV vaccination campaign has not yet been conducted in four Himalayan districts — Dolpa, Humla, Jumla, and Manang — due to ongoing school holidays.

Dr. Gautam said the campaign in these districts will be carried out in mid-March (Chaitra).

Human Papillomavirus infection is the leading cause of cervical cancer, and vaccination is considered one of the most effective measures to prevent the disease.