KATHMANDU: Nearly 240,000 adolescent girls have been vaccinated against cervical cancer through the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, the Health Ministry reported.
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 received the HPV vaccine during the campaign conducted from January 8 to February 28.
Of the vaccinated, 215,314 girls received the vaccine as part of the regular program, while 22,648 had missed last year’s campaign. Among them, 201,089 students in grade 6 received the regular dose, and 13,585 girls aged 10 who are not attending school were also vaccinated.
Additionally, 14,586 students currently in grades 7 to 10, who had missed last year’s campaign, were vaccinated, along with 8,049 out-of-school girls aged 11 to 14. Vaccinations were administered at schools and health institutions.
Dr. Gautam said data from Dhanusha, Mahottari, Arghakhanchi, Gulmi, Palpa, and Rolpa districts are still pending.
The HPV vaccination campaign could not be conducted in four hill districts—Dolpa, Humla, Jumla, and Manang—due to school holidays, Dr. Gautam said. He added that the campaign will be conducted in these districts in April.
He said the HPV infection is a major cause of cervical cancer, making vaccination crucial for prevention.
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