ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to launch its first-ever nationwide cervical cancer vaccination campaign to protect young girls aged 9 to 14 from the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a leading cause of cervical cancer.
The drive is scheduled to take place from 15 to 27 September across selected regions, including Punjab, Sindh, Azad Kashmir, and Islamabad, according to health officials.
Registration has already commenced for the campaign, which targets girls aged 9 to 14 years enrolled in both public and private schools.
Health officials say that the campaign is specifically aimed at school-going girls. To raise awareness among parents, voice messages will be disseminated to inform them about the benefits and safety of the HPV vaccine.
The campaign will be carried out through fixed vaccination sites and community centres, with mobile vaccination units also deployed to ensure wide-reaching access.
Furthermore, health department teams will administer the vaccine directly within schools, sources added.
Each eligible girl will receive a single dose of the HPV vaccine, which is known to significantly lower the risk of cervical cancer—a preventable yet potentially fatal disease if left untreated.
This initiative represents a major milestone in Pakistan’s public health efforts, aiming to protect future generations of women from a life-threatening but avoidable illness.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women globally, with around 660,000 new cases and around 350,000 deaths in 2022.
It can be cured if diagnosed at an early stage and treated promptly. As per the WHO recommendations, women should be screened for cervical cancer every 5–10 years starting at age 30.
Cervical cancer is a major health issue in Pakistan, ranking as the third most common cancer in women, with over 5,000 new cases and nearly 3,200 deaths annually.
