The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department has decided to launch a Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign across the province in November this year to protect women from cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer develops in the cells of the lower part of the uterus, known as the cervix. The primary cause of this cancer is infection with certain types of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). In its early stages, the disease usually does not show clear symptoms, which is why it is often referred to as a silent killer.
According to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department, all eligible girls aged 9 to 14 years will receive this valuable vaccine free of cost during the campaign. A target has been set to vaccinate a total of 2.9 million girls across the province.
According to the department’s guidelines, to achieve this target, 1.6 million girls will be vaccinated in various educational institutions and schools, while 1.3 million out of school girls will be vaccinated at the community level.
A high-level steering committee has been established under the chairmanship of the Secretary Health Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to ensure the campaign is conducted in accordance with existing laws and with the best possible security arrangements.
The Director General Health Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has appealed to parents and teachers to ensure timely vaccination of girls, as the HPV vaccine is the most effective and safest means of preventing cervical cancer.
According to the World Health Organization, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide. Each year, more than 660,000 women are diagnosed with the disease globally, and approximately 350,000 deaths are recorded.
In Pakistan, cervical cancer is also considered one of the deadliest cancers affecting women. Every year, thousands of women in the country are diagnosed with the disease, and the mortality rate remains alarming due to the lack of timely diagnosis and vaccination.
