More than 1.6 million girls to receive HPV vaccine

Kathmandu, Jan 28: The Ministry of Health and Population is launching a nationwide HPV vaccination campaign from February 4 to protect over 1.6 million adolescent girls from cervical cancer.     

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine would be administrated to girls studying in grade 6 to 10 and those out-of-school girls aged 10-14 from February 4-18.     

The two-week campaign is being launched after Minister for Health and Population Pradeep Paudel endorsed it. The eligible girls will get vaccinated at their respective schools or nearby vaccination centres for free of charge.     

Meanwhile, the Ministry has declared cancer survivor actress Manisha Koirala as a goodwill ambassador for the campaign. Currently, the Ministry is massively publicizing the impending vaccination campaign.     

According to the Global Cancer Observatory, out of the 14,000 deaths recorded in Nepal in 2022, a total of 7,768 died of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer and the number one cause of cancer-related deaths among women in Nepal.     

The WHO's record showed that many as 2,169 cases of cervical cancer and 2,255 cases of breast cancer patients were detected in Nepal in 2022. As estimated four women succumb to cervical cancer each day in Nepal at present.(RSS)