Key points
- Vaccines provided by Gavi Alliance
- Cervical cancer preventable by vaccine
- Drive to conclude by September 27
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has launched its first-ever national cervical cancer prevention campaign, aiming to vaccinate approximately 13 million girls aged 9 to 14 with the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. The initiative began on Monday and will continue through September 27.
Pakistan’s First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari called the campaign a “milestone” in the country’s public health history.
“Cervical cancer is the only cancer that can be prevented through a vaccine,” she emphasised in a public appeal.
Today marks a milestone for #Pakistan as we launch our first national campaign to vaccinate girls against HPV. Cervical cancer is the only cancer that can be prevented through a vaccine. I call upon all parents to ensure their daughters, between the ages of 9 and 14, get…
— Aseefa B Zardari (@AseefaBZ) September 15, 2025
“I call upon all parents to ensure their daughters, between the ages of 9 and 14, get vaccinated! Together, we can secure a healthier future for our girls.”
First phase
The first phase of the campaign covers Punjab, Sindh, Islamabad, and Azad Kashmir.
Pakistan media reports said, Punjab has received 8.8 million doses, Sindh 4 million, Azad Kashmir 349,000, and Islamabad 152,000.
Vaccines will be administered through girls’ public and private schools, madrassas, community centres, fixed vaccination sites and mobile units.
The HPV vaccines and syringes, valued at Rs10 billion, have been provided by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The national rollout will proceed in three phases, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa included in 2026 and Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan in 2027.
Health authorities confirmed that Pakistan plans to integrate the HPV vaccine into its routine immunisation programme, eventually targeting girls as young as nine across all regions.
The federal government will manage future vaccine procurement independently.
