Nepal, Feb. 1 -- Thousands of school dropout girls between 11 and 14 years, and anti-vaxxers who have been spreading rumours are the main challenges for the success of the upcoming vaccination drive scheduled to start from February 4.

Officials at the Ministry of Health and Population estimated that around 10 percent of the targeted girls are out of school, which is up to 160,000 in numbers.

"We are aware of girls who have dropped out of schools and are quite vulnerable to missing the vaccination," said Dr Abhiyan Gautam, chief of the Immunisation Section at the Family Welfare Division of the Department of Health Services. "Some anti-vaxxers, who have been spreading rumours, also pose challenges to the planned vaccination drive."

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