Kathmandu, Feb 4: Minister for Health and Population Pradip Paudel has said the HPV vaccination campaign against cervical cancer has been launched to make Nepal healthy in the future.
He urged all to publicise and support from their respective places so that no girl is deprived of this vaccine.
“The government aims to ensure that the target groups are not left out of the innoculation as vaccines and human resources have reached across the country. It will help build a healthy Nepal and the campaign will work to make Nepal healthy in the future,” Minister Paudel said while addressing the inaugural programme of the HPV Vaccination Campaign 2025 here today.
Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Population, Dr Roshan Pokharel, said that the vaccination campaign has been launched with the objective of prevention of cervical cancer. “Every year, we will administer this vaccine to adolescent girls through a regular vaccination schedule and we want to ensure that every girl has a safe future,” he said.
On the occasion, Director General of the Department of Health Services, Dr Bikash Devkota, said Nepal was proud to include this vaccine being used in 145 countries.
“The cases of non-communicable diseases are increasing in the country and among them, the burden of cancer is further rising. Cervical cancer is diagnosed in six women and four of them die due to this every day in Nepal. Therefore, we have started the HPV vaccination campaign targeting the adolescent girls. This campaign is centred in schools. Girls missed out and the out-of-school girls will also be vaccinated,” he said.
The Ministry has started the free HPV vaccination programme against cervical cancer throughout the country from today. The vaccination campaign will last till February 18.
It is said, under the vaccination drive, 1,688,900 girls will be administered the vaccine that protects against cervical cancer. Girls from grade six to ten and also the out-of-school girls aged 10-14 will be administered the HPV vaccines under this campaign.
