The Government of Pakistan has launched a nationwide HPV vaccination campaign to prevent cervical cancer, aiming to protect girls and move toward eliminating the disease. The initiative targets girls aged 9 to 14 in a phased rollout across Punjab, Sindh, Azad Jammu & Kashmir and the Islamabad Capital Territory.
The program was announced by the Federal Directorate of Immunization and is led by Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal. In its first phase, the campaign will deliver HPV vaccines to girls in the specified age group across the listed regions as part of a broader effort to reduce cervical cancer incidence and improve long-term public health outcomes for young women.
Senior federal and provincial health officials and international partners attended the launch. Participants included Minister of State for Federal Education and Professional Training Wajiha Qamar; Federal Health Secretary Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh; Dr Ayesha Isani Majeed, Director General Health; Dr Soofia Yunus, Director General; Dr Syeda Rashida Batool, District Health Officer Islamabad; WHO Representative Luo Dapeng; UNICEF Representative Pernille Ironside; Dr Rana Muhammad Safdar from CDC; Dr Muhammad Salman, CEO of the National Institutes of Health; Dr Altaf Bosan of NEOC; and other senior health representatives.
Implementation of the campaign will be supported by UNICEF, the World Health Organization, Jhpiego and other partner organizations, reflecting a coordinated public health response. Officials emphasized the importance of collaboration between government bodies and international agencies to ensure wide coverage and effective delivery of the vaccine.
Authorities framed the campaign as a significant step toward eliminating cervical cancer and safeguarding the health of future generations, using the campaign slogan SehatMand Beti SehatMand Gharana, meaning Healthy Daughter, Healthy Family. Public health officials encouraged communities and caregivers to participate and support vaccination efforts to maximize the campaign’s impact.
