The government has announced a significant initiative to combat the growing rate of cervical cancer among women by introducing a preventive vaccine.
According to sources, a pilot project for cervical cancer prevention has been finalized. Under this initiative, girls will be vaccinated with the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to protect against cervical cancer.
As part of the pilot phase, girls aged 9 to 14 will receive the HPV vaccine. The vaccination campaign will be launched in phases, with the first round scheduled to run from September 15 to 27.
In the initial phase, the HPV vaccine will be administered in Sindh, Punjab, Azad Kashmir, and Islamabad. The vaccine will be introduced in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2026, followed by Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan in 2027.
Girls between the ages of 9 and 14 will receive a single dose of the HPV vaccine, which will be available at fixed sites and community centers. Additionally, mobile vaccination units will facilitate outreach, and teams will visit schools to administer the vaccine.
Sources indicate that the HPV vaccine will be included in the country’s routine immunization program and will be given to 9-year-old girls. The target is to vaccinate 18 million girls, though it is estimated that 8 million girls aged up to 14 years are currently out of school.
The vaccine will be provided by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI). While the HPV vaccine is already available in the private sector, each dose costs between PKR 4,000 to 7,000.
It is worth noting that in 2020, Pakistan reported 5,008 cases of cervical cancer, with 3,197 deaths attributed to the disease in the same year.
