Pakistan introduces HPV vaccine to protect girls from cervical cancer

The Government of Pakistan has rolled out a nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign to safeguard adolescent girls from cervical cancer, a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women.

The first phase of the campaign, which began on September 15, will cover girls aged 9 to 14 in Punjab, Sindh, Pakistan-Administered Kashmir and the Islamabad Capital Territory.

The government has set an ambitious target of reaching at least 90 per cent of 13 million girls eligible for vaccination during this round.

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The HPV vaccination drive will be conducted at fixed centers, outreach, schools and through mobile/special vaccination teams. Outreach vaccination sites will be established in distant areas and special vaccination teams will be deployed to reach high-risk and underserved populations.

Following the campaign, the HPV vaccine will be added to Pakistan’s routine immunization programme for nine-year-old girls, ensuring long-term protection for future generations.

Over 60 million girls across the world have been vaccinated against HPV with Gavi support to date.