Kathmandu: The Ministry of Health and Population is launching a nationwide vaccination program targeting schoolgirls in Grade 6 to protect them against cervical cancer starting this Sunday. The initiative aims to vaccinate against the human papillomavirus (HPV).
According to National News Agency Nepal, Dr. Abhiyan Gautam, Chief of the Child Health and Immunization Section in the Ministry, announced that the campaign will also cover girls aged 10 who are not enrolled in school. The vaccination drive is scheduled to run until February 27 and will include those who missed last year’s campaign. This effort will extend to girls from Grade 7 to 10 and adolescents aged 11-14 who are not in school.
Dr. Gautam specified that vaccinations will be administered at schools and health institutions. To ensure a smooth operation, health workers have received training for the immunization drive. The vaccine doses have been dispatched to district offices from provincial offices, with an estimated 350,000 girls expected to receive the HPV vaccine. The program is supported with medicinal aid from the Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization.