Kathmandu- The government is going to vaccinate 1.6 million 88 thousand 688 girls against cervical cancer at school and local levels nationwide from 22 Magh to 6 Falgun 2081 BS. Girls aged 10 to 14 are going to be vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV).

The Ministry of Health and Population has brought 1.7 million 70 thousand 20 doses of vaccine worth 700 million 500 thousand with the support of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations (GAVI). The Nepal government has spent a budget of about 120 million and the rest has been borne by GAVI.

Currently, this vaccine is being used regularly in 144 countries of the world. This vaccine, recognized by the World Health Organization, was introduced in 2006.

It is said that the number of cervical cancer cases may increase in Nepal in the future, and a vaccination program is now being planned to be carried out by specifying an age group to prevent it.

The Department of Health Services has coordinated the vaccination program from the center, while the vaccine is being distributed through schools through municipalities in each district. The Ministry of Education and the Department of Health Services have already issued circulars to private and government schools across the country to bring the target group to access the vaccine. According to the department, the vaccine is being administered in 18,900 private and government schools across the country. The government is mobilizing 54,160 volunteers for the vaccination campaign, while 15,675 supervisors will be deployed. It is estimated that more than 30 million rupees will be spent on the management of this campaign alone.

Although 1.688 million girls aged 10 to 14 years are expected to be vaccinated against cervical cancer, the government estimates that some of them are out of school. Vaccination centers will be set up in wards with no or few schools as needed. Vaccination services will also be operated in health institutions on the last day of the campaign, on 6th Falgun 2081 BS. Out-of-school girls can go to the school or health institution designated as the vaccination center and get vaccinated.

The manufacturer claims that this vaccine prevents 16 to 18 types of cervical cancer viruses.