ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has launched a nationwide vaccination campaign against human papillomavirus (HPV), aiming to immunize 4.1 million girls aged nine to 14 across all four provinces to prevent cervical cancer, health officials said on Monday.
The vaccination drive will run from September 15-27. It will focus on immunizing both, school-going and out-of-school girls. Vaccinations will be administered at Expanded Program on Immunisation (EPI) centers, schools, and through mobile outreach teams; supported by over 3,000 mostly female vaccinators, data operators, social mobilizers, and assistants.
A digital tracking system, called the Sindh Immunisation Electronic Record System, was deployed in southern Pakistan to enroll girls and monitor vaccination status over time. This will ensure a long-term assessment of vaccine effectiveness, officials said. Emergency medical support, including ambulances, will accompany teams to handle rare adverse reactions.
Cervical cancer cases rising
HPV causes 80-90% of cervical cancer cases. Its cases have been increasing each year in Pakistan, where about 5,000 new cervical cancer cases are diagnosed annually. Over 3,000 preventable deaths occur each year.
The vaccine will be offered free of charge as a single dose to reduce dropout rates. It will become part of Pakistan’s routine immunization schedule in 2026, starting with nine-year-old girls.
Health experts talked about the importance of screening in addition to vaccination, recommending women undergo cervical cancer screening twice in their lifetime, at ages 35 and 45. Tests such as pap smears and HPV DNA testing are encouraged.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported last month that it has trained over 49,000 health workers across Pakistan. The effort covers Punjab, Sindh, the Islamabad Capital Territory, and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Expansion to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is planned for 2026, with Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan to follow in 2027.
WHO officials described the vaccination campaign as a critical step towards the global goal of eliminating cervical cancer by 2030, which calls for 90% of girls vaccinated by age 15, 70% of women screened, and 90% of cancer cases receiving treatment.
“By protecting girls today, Pakistan is reducing future cervical cancer deaths,” said a WHO representative.
