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Altogether 95 percent of girl students between grades 6 to 10 in Kavrepalanchok have been vaccinated against HPV (Human Papillomavirus), which causes cervical cancer.

Though the target was to vaccinate 16,097 girl students, 15,344, or 95.32 percent, have been vaccinated, according to the District Health Office, Dhulikhel.

The vaccination campaign was conducted from February 4-18 for the prevention and control of cervical cancer under the National Vaccination Program.

The Government of Nepal has approved the World Health Organization (WHO)-certified vaccine for girl students studying in grades 6-10 and out-of-school girls aged 10 to 14.

"We received information from the school that some girl students refused to get vaccinated. Perhaps it is because of lack of awareness that 100 percent vaccination could not be achieved", said the Office Chief Ragishree Kakshapati Shrestha. However, the vaccination program is considered successful in general. Girls from 252 community schools and 84 institutional schools in the district have been vaccinated.

Most of the 13 local levels in the district have achieved 99 percent of the target.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Health, 2,200 women in Nepal are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year. Of these, 1,300 women succumb to the disease.

There is a possibility of light rain with thunder and lightning at one or two places in the hilly areas of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces today.

Furthermore, there is a possibility of light snowfall at a few places in the high hilly and mountainous areas of the country.

The weather today will be partly to generally clear in the hilly areas of the country including Koshi Province and partly cloudy to mostly clear in the rest of the country. This is due to the influence of westerly winds in the country, according to the Meteorological Forecasting Division.

There is fog in some places in Tarai.

Tonight, the weather will remain partly to generally clear in the hilly areas of the country including Koshi Province and partly cloudy to mostly clear in the rest of the country.

Riyadh: Rs 42m has been transferred from Saudi Arabia to the rightful heirs of deceased Nepali workers under the General Organization of Social Insurance (GOSI). This transfer, completed in the last eight months, benefits the families of 166 deceased individuals.

GOSI provides financial support to the families of workers who die or suffer severe injuries while on duty. In case of work-related fatalities, the organization offers compensation equivalent to 84 months’ salary, amounting to approximately Rs 11.5m. The funds are directly wired to beneficiaries’ bank accounts, ensuring timely assistance.

Since 2002, nearly 700 cases involving Nepali workers’ deaths or severe injuries have been registered with GOSI. Among them, insurance claims for 450 deceased workers have been approved, while 205 additional cases are currently under review. However, concerns remain over pending approvals for 261 cases—115 under Riyadh and 146 under Jeddah.

Tikaram Upadhyay, First Secretary of the Nepali Embassy in Riyadh, emphasized that embassy officials are working tirelessly, even beyond office hours, to facilitate claim processing. Efforts include collaboration with GOSI, employers, the Department of Consular Services, and the Safer Migration Program (SAMI) to ensure smooth documentation and disbursement.

The embassy has also sought assistance from the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA), political and social organizations, civil society, and media workers to reach the families of the deceased. A dedicated WhatsApp group has been created to enhance communication with beneficiaries.

Despite the progress, challenges persist. Most Nepali workers in Saudi Arabia are unskilled laborers earning low wages, and discrepancies in salary documentation in the GOSI system often result in reduced compensation for their families. To address this, the embassy has urged Nepali workers to verify whether their employer has accurately recorded their wages with GOSI.

Damaruvallabh Poudel, Deputy Head of Mission at the Nepali Embassy in Riyadh, highlighted the crucial role played by GOSI officials, particularly their willingness to prioritize pending Nepali claims. He noted that GOSI temporarily halted processing claims from other countries like India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh to expedite Nepal’s backlog.

Efforts are ongoing to ensure all rightful heirs receive their due compensation promptly. Officials remain optimistic that, with continued cooperation between GOSI and the Nepali Embassy, more funds will be disbursed soon.

A total 478 incidents of fire occurred across the country from January 14-February 12 alone.

Spokesperson of the Nepal Police, Deputy Inspector General Dinesh Kumar Acharya, shared that 22 people lost their lives in these fire incidents.

Of them, 11 were men, 10 women and a child, he added. Similarly, 87 people, including 26 men, 54 women, four boys and three girls, were injured in fire incidents during the period.

A total of 3,503 security personnel were mobilized to douse the fire, said Acharya.

The highest number of fire incidents took place in Koshi province which stood at 129.

Similarly, 89 fire cases occurred in Madhes Province, 42 in Bagmati Province, 37 in Kathmandu Valley, 39 in Gandaki Province, 63 in Lumbini Province, 32 in Karnali Province and 47 in Sudurpaschim Province.

​​​​The fire damaged 68 houses and 66 huts in one month.

As per the details released by the Nepal Police Headquarters, property worth Rs 184.8 million was damaged in fire incidents.