Pakistan has launched its first nationwide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign to protect 13 million adolescent girls from cervical cancer, with technical and logistical support from the World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and UNICEF. More than 49,000 health workers trained by WHO will be mobilized to vaccinate girls aged 9–14 years, with the campaign aiming to reach at least 90% of eligible girls and to integrate the vaccine into routine immunization for 9-year-olds in coming years.
Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal presided over the launch and urged parents to vaccinate their daughters, calling the vaccine safe, effective and essential. The first phase targets girls across Punjab, Sindh, Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and the Islamabad Capital Territory, with plans to expand the programme to additional provinces over time.
WHO-trained teams will carry out vaccinations at fixed health centers, schools, outreach sites and through mobile and special vaccination teams to reach high-risk and underserved populations. Outreach sites will be established in remote areas, and the vaccine will be provided free to all eligible girls.
WHO Representative in Pakistan Dr Dapeng Luo highlighted the public health urgency, noting that Pakistan loses eight women every day to cervical cancer. He said the WHO-prequalified HPV vaccine has a long track record of saving lives in more than 150 countries and stressed that introducing the vaccine now protects current and future generations. The campaign aims to protect 13 million girls in this phase and more than 17 million by 2027.
Gavi’s Chief Country Delivery Officer Thabani Maphosa emphasized that a single dose of the HPV vaccine can prevent most cases of cervical cancer and urged continued leadership and partnership to reshape women’s health in Pakistan. UNICEF Representative Pernille Ironside called the roll-out a historic step for girls and young women, saying the vaccine gives them a chance to grow, learn and thrive without the fear of cervical cancer.
The government plans a phased national rollout, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa scheduled next, followed by Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan. WHO and partner agencies will continue to support Pakistan’s goal of eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem by expanding vaccination coverage and integrating HPV vaccination into routine immunization services.
