SATV Kathmandu, Jan 26: The Ministry of Health and Population has been preparing to launch a nationwide human papillomavirus  (HPV) vaccine campaign from February 5, 2025.

During the nationwide campaign, over 1.68 million girls between 10 and 14 years will be administered the HPV vaccine.

As per the campaign, the Banke District Health Office has announced plans to vaccinate more than 35,000 girls against cervical cancer with the HPV vaccine. Our Banke correspondent Siraj Khan reported that the campaign in the district will run from January 22 to February 18, 2025.

According to Naresh Babu Shrestha, Public Health Officer and Vaccination Focal Person at the Banke Health Office, the campaign targets 33,375 school-going girls and 2,850 girls outside schools, totalling 35,044 girls across Banke’s eight local levels.

To facilitate this, 459 vaccination centres have been established, including 378 in schools and 81 outside. The vaccine will be administered to girls aged 10 to 14, including those studying in grades 6 to 10, during the campaign period.

Chief of the Banke Health Office, Angad Bahadur Shahi, explained that the vaccination drive will be conducted in two phases. The first phase, running for seven days from January 22, will cover Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City, Kohalpur Municipality, Khajura Rural Municipality and Janaki Rural Municipality. The second phase will begin on January 30, targeting Rapti Sonari, Duduwa, Narainapur and Baijanath rural municipalities.

The vaccine doses have already arrived in the district and health workers across all local levels are undergoing orientation and training for the campaign, Shahi said. 

The distribution plan includes vaccinating 8,262 girls in Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City, 7,458 in Kohalpur Municipality, 3,328 in Duduwa Rural Municipality, 3,211 in Rapti Sonari, 3,968 in Baijanath, 3,253 in Khajura, 2,405 in Janaki and 2,490 in Narainapur.

Kapil Gyawali, Rupandehi correspondent reported that the Rupandehi Health Office has also announced an HPV vaccination campaign targeting 58,898 girls.

The campaign will be conducted in two phases, with the first phase starting on February 4, covering eight local levels and vaccinating 31,956 girls. The second phase, beginning on February 13, will target another eight local levels, vaccinating 26,942 girls. 

Girls studying from grades 6 to 10 will be participating in the vaccine campaign, said Gyawali. Dr. Chintamani Gyawali, Chief of the Rupandehi Health Office, said that the vaccine will be administered to girls aged 10 to 14, including those studying in grades 6 to 10, as well as out-of-school girls in the same age group.

To ensure preparedness, orientation and training sessions are being conducted for health institution heads, teachers, community health volunteers and other stakeholders.

According to Dr. Sagar Tiwari, cervical cancer is caused by abnormal cell growth in the cervix due to HPV infection. He emphasized that the HPV vaccine is considered a safe and effective measure to prevent the disease, which has a high mortality rate.

Umakanta Chapai, Coordinator of the District Coordination Committee, highlighted the need to raise awareness about the vaccination campaign beforehand to ensure its success.

Meanwhile, in Tanahun, Amar Raj Naharki reported that more than 14,000 girls in the district are set to receive the vaccine.

According to the Provincial Health Office, Tanahun, the vaccination will be carried out in two phases. In the first phase, from February 4 to 7, the vaccine will be administered in five municipalities, including Vyas Municipality, Bhanu Municipality, Devghat Rural Municipality, Abukhaireni Rural Municipality and Bandipur Rural Municipality, covering 44 wards. 

The second phase, from February 9 to February 12, will include five municipalities -- Shuklagandaki Municipality, Bhimad Municipality, Myagde Rural Municipality, Rishing Rural Municipality, and Ghiring Rural Municipality, covering 41 wards.

According to our Sarlahi correspondent, over 51,000 adolescent girls will be administered the vaccine in two phases to girls aged 10 to 14 years. The first phase will be administered from February 5 to February 11 in areas including Lalbandi, Ishworpur, Haripurba, Malangawa, Haripur and Kabilashi municipalities as well as in Chandranagar, Parsa, Bramhapuri and Kaudeni rural municipalities. 

The second phase will be from February 13 to February 19 in areas including Balara, Godauta, Barahatawa, Bagmati and Hariwan municipalities as well as Bishnu, Dhanakaul, Basbariya, Ramnagar and Chakraghatta rural municipalities.