Nationwide HPV Vaccination Campaign Launched for Grade 6 Girls

The government has launched a nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign from today to protect adolescent girls against cervical cancer. According to the Child Health and Immunization Section of the Department of Health Services, the campaign will run until Falgun 15.

Under this campaign, HPV vaccines are being administered to girls studying in Grade 6 across the country, as well as out-of-school girls aged 10 years. The department has also informed that girls currently studying in Grades 7 to 10 who missed last year’s HPV vaccination drive, along with out-of-school girls aged 11 to 14, will also be vaccinated through this campaign. In Himalayan and snow-prone districts, the vaccination program will be conducted in Chaitra.

Human Papillomavirus infection is the primary cause of cervical cancer, making HPV vaccination a crucial preventive measure. Girls studying in Grade 6 will receive the vaccine at their schools, while other eligible girls will be vaccinated at designated health centers.

Chief of the campaign, Dr. Abhiyan Gautam, stated that the HPV vaccine is highly effective and urged all eligible girls to get vaccinated. In Nepal, an average of six women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every day, and four die from the disease, despite it being largely preventable through vaccination.

Last year, between Magh 22 and Falgun 6, the government vaccinated nearly 1.7 million girls nationwide from Grades 6 to 10 and those aged 10 to 14 who were out of school. According to the department, around 350,000 girls are expected to be vaccinated during this 20-day campaign.

Cervical cancer is currently the second most common cancer among women in Nepal and ranks first in cancer-related female mortality, highlighting the importance of widespread HPV vaccination.