KATHMANDU, Feb 21: The Ministry of Health and Population has decided to conduct regular weekly briefings of its activities through the video platform every Friday, beginning from February 21.
Spokesperson for the Ministry, Dr Prakash Budhathoki, said the ministry would brief about policy-level decisions, activities and the information of the health sector conducted in a week at 1:30 pm every Friday.
In the course of a media briefing held on Friday, he shared, "We are going to hold a video briefing with an objective of providing information about policy-level decisions as well as significant notices and information related to health to the general public and stakeholders."
Prior to this, the ministry had conducted video briefing regularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ministry has now started providing information and notice through social networking sites besides press releases.
VIDEO: MoHP briefing on COVID-19
Spokesperson Budhathoki mentioned that the ministry received essential medicines used to treat childhood cancer on Thursday and it was handed over to the Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital, Kanti Children's Hospital, Patan Academy of Health Sciences and Bharatpur Cancer Hospital.
During the media briefing, he said 92 per cent of the total targeted number of girls received HPV vaccine against cervical cancer in the campaign launched from February 4 to 18.
A total of 1.435 million girls including students from class 6-10 and girls between 10-14 years, who are not enrolled in schools, received the HPV vaccine, Budhathoki stated.
He further shared that the vaccination campaign was hampered due to snowfall in Manang, Mustang, Dolpa and Humla, the districts in the mountainous region. According to Budhathoki, the ministry will conduct the vaccination drive in these districts on March 12 and 13.
Also, the ministry said those who missed the shot during the campaign this time can visit government health facilities convenient to them and get vaccinated.
Dr Budhathoki said during the media briefing that 92,273 women of the 30 to 49 age group underwent screening for cervical cancer so far this fiscal year.
Spokesperson Dr Budhathoki added that mass drug administration against elephantiasis is underway in Banke district and it will run for a month.
