Kathmandu: Minister for Health and Population, Pradip Paudel, has refuted claims suggesting that the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine against cervical cancer was administered as a trial. The Minister emphasized that such statements are unfounded.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Minister Paudel responded to queries during a National Assembly meeting, asserting that studies conducted on the HPV vaccine have consistently demonstrated its safety and lack of serious side effects. He stated, “This vaccine protects against HPV infection that causes cervical cancer. The vaccine is safe and effective, and no serious type of side effects are reported so far.”
National Assembly member Madan Kumari Sah (Garima) inquired about the safety of the HPV vaccine for adolescent girls and the government’s plans to extend the vaccination to men. Minister Paudel acknowledged that other countries have begun administering the vaccine to men and mentioned that discussions are ongoing to assess the feasibility of receiving support from other nations for this initiative.
The government initiated a nationwide campaign on February 4, successfully vaccinating 1.4 million girls against HPV to date.