Kathmandu, Feb. 5 -- 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,...