Papillomavirus vaccination begins from seven hospitals

By A Staff Reporter, Kathmandu, Sept. 14: The government started a free Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign across the country to prevent cervical cancer in women on Wednesday. Minister for Health and Population Mohan Bahadur Basnet initiated the campaign in an official programme at Thapathali-based Paropakar Maternity and Women's Hospital (PMWH).

Minister Basnet inaugurated the campaign by handing over a vaccine carrier to PMWH Director Dr. Shree Prasad Adhikari. A 14-year-old girl of Dhumbarahi, Kathmandu, was then administered the first HPV vaccination of the nation-wide campaign during the programme. According to the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), HPV vaccines will be provided from seven hospitals in seven provinces. 

With the PMWH for Bagmati Province, Biratnagar's Koshi Hospital in Koshi, Birgunj's Narayani Hospital in Madhes, Pokhara-based Gandaki Academy of Health Sciences in Gandaki, Nepalgunj-based Bheri Hospital in Lumbini, Birendranagar-based Provincial Hospital in Karnali and Amargadhi-based Dadeldhura Hospital in Sudurpashchim are providing the vaccines.

The campaign was inaugurated on Wednesday in five hospitals except Koshi Hospital and Narayani Hospital. Koshi and Narayani plan to begin the campaign on September 14 and 15 respectively. "The government aims to vaccinate all girls between 9 to 15 years of age with HPV as it is the best prevention against cervical cancer," said Minister Basnet.

According to Dr. Bibek Kumar Lal, director of the Family Welfare Division under the Department of Health Services (DoHS) of the MoHP, the majority of women who die of cancer in Nepal suffer from cervical cancer.

"We must administer HPV vaccines without missing a single girl who is over nine years of age but has not completed 15," said Dr. Lal. Nevertheless, the government does not have enough vaccines for eligible girls.

"HPV vaccination is required for 1.7 million girls across the country. There are only 20,000 vials of HPV distributed in the seven hospitals equally for now," said Dr. Sangeeta Kaushal Mishra, director of the DoHS.

However, the MoHP plans to import the required amount of HPV vaccines within a year and continue the campaign on a long term without any obstructions.

"A girl should receive the second dose of HPV vaccines after six months of the first dose. We will manage the vaccines for easy availability within the current year," said Dr. Mishra.

For now, the vaccine is being provided under the first-come-first basis, authorities informed.

According to our Nepalgunj correspondent, Bheri Hospital plans to administer HPV vaccines to 1,215 girls. "We have received 2,430 

vials of HPV vaccine. It will be administered in two doses," said Dr. 

Pawan Jung Rayamajhi, chief of Bheri Hospital.

A vaccinated girl is provided with a vaccination card which she should carry to the health centre after six months for the second dose.

As the hospitals have received fewer vials than required, the Bheri Hospital has decided to prioritise girls aged 14 as they cannot administer the 

vaccine next year after completing 15 years of age.

"Girls born in between September 15, 2008, to September 15, 2009, have been prioritised for the vaccination campaign," said Dr. Rayamajhi.

If a girl receives the two doses of HPV vaccines, the chance of cervical cancer is reduced by 95 per cent, say health experts.