Govt launches nationwide HPV vaccination campaign

News Desk :
The government of Bangladesh, supported by UNICEF, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), and WHO, has launched a ground-breaking Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign.

This initiative aims to protect the health and future of millions of girls across Bangladesh by safeguarding them against cervical cancer, a disease that claims the lives of thousands of women in the country annually, reports UNB.

The campaign will kick off in Dhaka and will be implemented in three phases, throughout the entire country, UNICEF said on Monday.

Targeting over 10 million girls studying in grades V to IX, including those who are out of educational institutions aged
between 10 to 14 years, the safe and highly effective vaccine will be provided free of cost.

The first phase in Dhaka, spanning 18 days, will see eligible girls receiving the vaccine at their educational institutes or designated vaccination centers after registering on the “Vaxepi” app or website. Subsequently, other divisions will be covered in 2024.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque said the government of Bangladesh is committed to ensuring health services for all the people of the country.