Nepal launches Nationwide HPV Vaccination for young girls aged 10–15

Feb 04, 2025

Kathmandu (Nepal), Feb 04 (ANI): Nepal has launched a nationwide immunization campaign against Human Papillomavirus (HPV), focusing on schoolgirls aged 10 to 15 years. The vaccination drive, which began on February 4 (World Cancer Day), aims to administer a single dose of the HPV vaccine to both school-going and out-of-school girls aged 10 to 14 years. The decision to provide a single-dose vaccination follows the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the National Immunization Advisory Committee, a panel of experts in the country. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a viral infection transmitted through skin-to-skin contact and is a primary cause of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in developing countries and a leading cause of death among Nepali women, with hundreds of new cases reported annually. As part of a nationwide HPV vaccination campaign, over 1.68 million girls aged 10 to 14 will be immunized. Last year, Nepal procured 20,000 doses of the HPV vaccine and administered them to approximately 9,000 girls aged 14 to 15 across all seven provinces. The vaccination was given in two doses over a six-month period. The WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation (SAGE) found that a single-dose HPV vaccine offers protection comparable to multi-dose regimens against cervical cancer. Several countries, including Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the Maldives, have implemented nationwide HPV vaccination programs, while India and Indonesia have introduced them in select districts.