A nationwide immunisation campaign against the human papillomavirus (HPV) targeting girls between 11 and 14 years of age started on Tuesday.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli inaugurated the campaign at a programme held at Shivapuri Higher Secondary School in Baluwatar, Kathmandu.

Human papillomavirus is a viral infection that spreads through skin-to-skin contact and is a leading cause of cervical cancer—the second-most common cancer in the developing world. Cervical cancer is a major cause of death among Nepali women, with hundreds diagnosed every year.

The Ministry of Health and Population said that the girls will be administered a single dose of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine during the drive.

A total of 16,88,768 girls in the age group will be inoculated during the two-week-long campaign that will continue until February 18.

Officials said that 18,900 schools around the country have been designated as vaccination centres. Additionally, the vaccine doses will be administered from 8,200 health facilities.

Officials say even if the vaccination drive continues for two weeks, the antigen will not be administered every day in every school.

“Parents of the eligible girls should contact nearby health facilities to get information about the vaccination programme,” said Dr Abhiyan Gautam, chief of the Immunisation Section at the Family Welfare Division under the Department of Health Services. “Those who missed the vaccine during the campaign due to various reasons can get inoculated on the last day of the campaign in the nearby health facilities.”

Over 27,000 health workers and more than 54,000 female community health volunteers (FCHVs) will be deployed for the campaign.

The health ministry said that it has already supplied vaccine doses to the districts. The Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunisation (GAVI) has supplied 1,770,400 vaccine doses for the campaign. The alliance has also provided funds to cover the campaign's operational costs, officials say.

Though the exact number of patients suffering from cervical cancer in Nepal is not known, it is estimated that every day, at least four women die of cervical cancer in the country.

BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital in Bharatpur said that more than 700 women suffering from cervical cancer seek treatment at the hospital every year.

Experts say early treatment can prevent up to 80 percent of cervical cancer cases.

The government has appointed renowned Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala as the goodwill ambassador for the HPV vaccination campaign. Koirala, who is a cancer survivor, will help raise awareness about the importance of the HPV vaccine.

Countries like Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and the Maldives have introduced HPV vaccines nationwide, while India and Indonesia have introduced them in select districts.

Last year, Nepal purchased 20,000 doses of the HPV vaccine and administered them to around 9,000 girls aged between 14 and 15 years in all seven provinces. Two doses of the HPV vaccine were administered within a six-month period.

The government has decided to include the HPV vaccine in the routine immunisation list following the completion of the nationwide drive.

It is estimated that there are around 350,000 girls aged 10 years who will be jabbed with the HPV vaccine.

Nepal will need to cover a certain percentage of the cost of the vaccine once it is included in the regular immunisation list, officials say.

The UN health body says HPV vaccination is recommended as part of a coordinated strategy to prevent cervical cancer and other diseases caused by the virus.

Meanwhile, the health ministry said that USAID’s assistance in the planned vaccination drive was halted due to the US government's recent decision to suspend all foreign aid for 90 days.

Meanwhile, the health ministry officials say that they are aware of the challenges of the campaign, including school dropout girls, child labourers working in brick kilns, factories and construction sites and those residing in border areas.

It is estimated that around 10 percent of the targeted girls—about 160,000—are out of school.

The vaccination campaign will be held later in the second phase in the four districts—Humla, Dolpa, Manang and Mustang. Chilling weather conditions, including snowfall, are blamed for obstacles to the planned campaign in those districts, officials say.