A survey report by BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital showed that cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in Nepal

Chitwan, August 25

The government is preparing to administer the Human papilloma virus vaccine to 26,000 young girls of Chitwan and Kaski districts.

A total of 13,000 girls of the districts have been administered the vaccine in the first phase, and the same girls will be immunised in the second phase under the campaign that started in February-March this year, informed District Public Health Office, Chitwan, during an orientation programme held in Bharatpur today.

The government is all set to administer the vaccine to 26,000 girls of grade VI and VII of the districts and 10-year-old girls without school access from September 7.

The Human papilloma virus is a known to cause of cervical cancer in women.

Earlier, a survey report conducted by BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital, Bharatpur ,had shown that cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in Nepal.

Women ranging from 35 years to 64 years are more prone to the disease.

It has been estimated that 10,020 new patients suffer from the disease every year in the country.

“The course of vaccination will be over after the girls are immunised two times. Those who missed the first round of vaccination will also be immunised this time,” said Chief of District Public Health Office, Chitwan Madhusudan Koirala.

The vaccination is most effective on girls before puberty, which is why this age group was selected, Koirala clarified.

As many as 7,221 girls in Chitwan and 5,608 girls in Kaski were administered this vaccine. Programme Officer at Child Health Department, Kathmandu, Basanta Shrestha claimed that this vaccine has proved effective for over 90 per cent of the girls.

Besides the immunisation drive, the programme will conduct a cervical cancer check-up of women from 30 years to 60 years in various health facilities of the districts.

According to World Health Organisation, more than 260,000 women die of cervical cancer across the world every year, of which more than 85 per cent women are from developing countries.