14 Questions and Answers about HPV Vaccine Against Cervical Cancer

 14 Questions and Answers about HPV Vaccine Against Cervical Cancer

What is the HPV vaccine?

The vaccine against cervical cancer is called the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

Why get it?

– To prevent cervical cancer and other diseases caused by the HPV virus

– To prevent cervical cancer, which is the most common type of cancer in women

Who should get it?

– The younger the age, the better

– Most effective in the age group of 9 to 14

– Women can also get it as per the doctor's advice

Where is it available?

This vaccine can be given in private hospitals. Currently, the government is providing it free of charge through the vaccination program campaign.

Who is the free vaccine for?

– Girls from grades 6 to 10, and girls aged 10 to 14 if they do not go to school

When will the vaccination campaign start?

– It will run for 15 days from Magh 23 to Falgun 6.

Which company's vaccine is being given?

– Nepal is currently preparing to provide the Cicoline brand vaccine made in China.

How much should be administered?

– This vaccine is only given once.

How effective is this vaccine?

– It is claimed that this vaccine is 91 percent effective. It is 100 percent safe if administered before becoming sexually active.

Where can the vaccine be administered?

– It can be administered in government and private schools and nearby health institutions in all seven provinces.

Can it be administered individually?

– Women who are not covered by the vaccination campaign can go to a private hospital to get it.

How much does it cost?

– The price of the HPV vaccine in Nepal can range from 3,000 to 10,000 rupees in the private sector.

What happens if you don't get the vaccine?

– If you don't get the vaccine, you can get infected with the HPV virus and develop cervical cancer. Every year, 2,000 people die from cervical cancer in Nepal.

Isn't this vaccine for medical trials?

The HPV vaccine is a reliable vaccine being provided in Nepal under the cervical cancer prevention program in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization.

One dose of HPV vaccine is enough

The government gave free HPV vaccine to girls against cervical cancer in Bhadra last year. 10,000 girls who have completed 14 years and have not completed 15 years were given HPV vaccine from central hospitals in all seven provinces. At that time, the vaccine was given in two doses.

But in the nationwide vaccination campaign that will be launched from 22 Magh on the occasion of World Cancer Day, only one dose is being given.

The World Health Organization has recognized three vaccines against cervical cancer, out of which the vaccine being given in Nepal is of the Cicoline brand made in China. The Cicoline brand vaccine was given last Bhadra as well.

But why was the vaccine dose reduced this time?

Dr. Abhiyan Gautam, who is the head of the Child Health and Vaccination Branch, said that the dose of the vaccine was reduced on the recommendation of the new research, guidelines and the Vaccination Advisory Committee. “Research has shown that even one dose works completely,” Dr. Gautam said, “The antibodies that should be formed after vaccination are the ones that are needed to protect the body from the virus.” It turned out that one dose did not make a difference.’

In this campaign, a total of 1.688 million 768 people, including girls from grades 6 to 10 who do not go to school, including girls aged 10 to 14, will be vaccinated. A total of 1.77 million 20 vials of vaccine will be received from Gavi for that. So far, 1.5 million vials of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine used against cervical cancer have been received in three phases. The remaining two will arrive in a few days, according to the Department of Health Services.

The government is conducting a vaccination campaign from Magh 23 to protect girls from cervical cancer. The HPV vaccination campaign will run for 15 days (Magh 23 to Falgun 6). 18,900 schools have been designated as vaccination centers. 8,000 centers have been designated in health institutions other than schools.

Dr. Gautam said that 27,080 health workers, 54,160 volunteers, and 15,674 supervisors will be mobilized for the vaccination campaign. "We have planned to vaccinate girls at the school level from January," Gautam told Online News. "We also vaccinate children outside of school through health institutions."

The HPV virus is contagious and spreads easily. It is mainly transmitted through skin-to-skin contact.

According to doctors, the main reasons for the virus infection are getting married at a young age, having children at a young age, having many children, having children in a short period of time, having sex with many people, having unprotected sex, smoking and drinking a lot, and not paying attention to genital hygiene.

According to doctors, 80 percent of people are infected with HPV by the time they reach the age of 30 to 45. If women and men can get vaccinated before they come into contact with the HPV virus, it will give the best results. Because the vaccine prevents infection. But if the virus has already settled in the body, it cannot make it free from infection.

The HPV vaccine also protects against cervical cancer, anal cancer, throat and genital cancer. According to doctors, the HPV vaccine, if administered before sexual intercourse, provides 90 percent protection for life.

Doctors say that since HPV-related cancers may not show any symptoms in the early stages, vaccination and regular screening are necessary. Since the government is unable to easily provide the vaccine, private organizations have been importing and distributing the vaccine at their own expense. Therefore, women are forced to pay high fees for the vaccine.

Cervical cancer kills 500,000 people every year, fear is not checked in time

 Cervical cancer kills 500,000 people every year, fear is not checked in time

Everyone has a mother, sister-in-law, brother-in-law in their house. They may have looked healthy. However, in reality, they are always at risk of a fatal disease. That is - cervical cancer. Every woman between 30 and 60 years of age is at risk of this disease.

Women who are married at a young age, have many children, have sexual relations with many people, and take family planning pills for a long time are at high risk of cervical cancer. Women who have sex only once in their life are equally at risk of this disease.

Because of this danger, it is in the first place among the cancers that occur in women. After this disease, the treatment is expensive and complicated. "That's why it's better not to get sick", said Dr. Sarita Ghimire says, 'And, that can be done easily.'

Expert experience

Gynecologist and oncologist Sarita Ghimire, who has permanent residence in Ramechhap, is an MBBS and MD from the Institute of Medical Studies (IOM).

When he got his MD in 2004 in Gynecology and Obstetrics, cancer hospitals were just starting to open in Nepal. Along with this, the number of cancer patients was increasing rapidly.

Dr. is looking at that situation. Ghimire went to Bharatpur Cancer Hospital and took special training related to cancer. After that, she also went to Pakistan and UK for specialist training. Since then, it has been 15 years since he worked in the prevention of cervical cancer.

Dr. is currently working as a chief consultant at Talchikhel Cancer Care Foundation in Lalitpur. Ghimire's emphasis is on early disease detection. For this purpose, she reaches district after district to raise public awareness. In his experience, 6 to 8 out of 100 people who come to the hospital for cervical check-up have already reached the transition stage of cancer. Dr. Ghimire says, 'This data shows the benefits of raising public awareness.'

When she joined Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital, she became more active in running camps in the districts. In those camps, information was given about various cancers including cervical cancer, breast cancer. Women have more cervical cancer, but since it can be prevented, the number of people who come to the hospital for examination has increased. There is an experience of wandering. And, it has given him professional satisfaction.

In the camps, she used to keep scary photos, afraid to go to the hospital for an examination. It is human nature not to take anything seriously and not to change habits until fear arises in the mind, Dr. Ghimire says, 'which will become fatal itself tomorrow.'

According to him, around 528,000 women in the world suffer from cervical cancer every year. What is the situation in Nepal? "In Nepal, 20-22 percent of women who come to the hospital for cancer treatment suffer from cervical cancer", Dr. Ghimire says, 'Detailed study is yet to be done on this.'

There are no symptoms at first

After the cancer of the cervix has increased a lot, foul-smelling and blood-tinged water starts to flow. The appearance of blood even when there is no menstruation or the appearance of blood again in women who have dried up their periods is also a sign of cervical cancer. When this cancer spreads a lot, it causes bloating, leg swelling, waist and back pain, and problems with defecation and urination.

To avoid this, women who have reached the age of 30 and who have had sex, even if it is only once in their life, should be examined by a trained health worker at least once every three to five years. Ghimire suggests. She says, 'Women who have dry periods and who have undergone surgery due to the possibility of cancer should also undergo regular examination of the uterus.'

During the examination, the health workers put medicine in the mouth of the uterus and check the visual inspection with acetic acid (VREA). Earlier, Pap Smear Test (PST) was used to detect the presence of cancer infection in the mouth of the cervix or not. VREA is more of a scientific method than that.

Infection can be prevented if known

Cervical cancer is caused by infection with a virus called human papilloma. This virus takes the form of cancer after 15 to 20 years of infection. Dr. According to Ghimire, the human papilloma virus can survive for 15-20 years. If the immunity is high, the body can even eliminate it. In those with low immunity, it causes subtle changes and causes cancer.

Cervical cancer can be prevented by knowing before regular check-up. Ghimire says. "However, our women are so involved in household responsibilities that they don't even have time to think of a hospital until the illness takes a serious form."

Development of the uterus 

A very important organ in the female body, the uterus. It is not only an organ but also the original source of creation. A tiny embryo develops inside this. And it becomes life. As many people as there are in the world today, their place of origin is this womb.