HPV vaccine is effective, take it with confidence: Ministry of Health
According to doctors, cervical cancer can be prevented if diagnosed and treated in its early stages. HPV vaccination is given to prevent cervical cancer.
The main cause of cervical cancer is infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), said Dr. Srishti Shrestha Prajapati, a gynecology specialist. She informed that it is the first cancer among women in Nepal and the fourth in the world.
According to her, HPV causes more than 90 percent of cervical cancers. She said, “The HPV vaccine helps reduce the risk of cervical cancer. It has been successfully tested worldwide. It has been found to be safe and effective. There are no negative effects. The misconceptions about infertility or menstrual irregularities are wrong. It works if you get it safely.”
According to the Ministry of Health, four women die from cervical cancer every day in Nepal. According to the ‘Global Cancer Observatory, 2022’, 2,169 women in Nepal are diagnosed with this cancer every year. 1,313 women die from cervical cancer every year, and on average, four women die every day.
Dr. Budhathoki, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, urged all adolescents to get vaccinated with confidence as the HPV vaccine provides 90 to 95 percent protection. He said, “This vaccine is being used in more than 145 countries around the world and has been used in 61 countries. It has been recognized by the World Health Organization and has also been approved by the Department of Drug Control. We request you to get vaccinated with confidence as it is a scientifically proven vaccine.”
Stating that there may be some minor side effects (side effects) after vaccination, including pain, swelling, and fever at the injection site, Dr. Budhathoki said that these effects will heal on their own in a few days. ‘We have also found that some people have spread rumors that this vaccine should not be given. These are just rumors. We have kept a team of doctors on standby for treatment in case any side effects are seen after vaccination. We keep the person in a separate room for 30 minutes after vaccination to see if there are any side effects. If they are outside the age group and have a fever, do not get the vaccine.’
To include HPV vaccine in the national vaccination program, the government had successfully conducted a ‘pilot program’ in Kaski and Chitwan with the support of GAVI in the fiscal year 2072/73 and fiscal year 2073/74 for program operation and study. In the fiscal year 2080/81, two doses of this vaccine have been given to 10,000 adolescent girls in one hospital in each province as a ‘demonstration’. Similarly, the vaccination branch has also included it in the national vaccination schedule.
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