Nepal Rolls Out HPV Jabs

Nepali school-going girls rest on a bench after receiving the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine at a local school in Kathmandu, Nepal, on February 4, 2025. The vaccination campaign, which starts on February 4 (World Cancer Day), targets girls between 10 and 14 years of age with a single dose of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. The decision to administer a single dose of the HPV vaccine aligns with the recommendation of the World Health Organization and the National Immunization Advisory Committee, an expert panel in the country. Human papillomavirus is a viral infection that spreads through skin-to-skin contact and is a leading cause of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is the second-most common cancer in the developing world and a major cause of death among Nepali women. It is estimated that hundreds of women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in Nepal every year. (Photo by Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto via Getty Images)