Islamabad: Vaccination against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) — the leading cause of cervical cancer in women — will commence from September 15 to 27 in Islamabad, along with Punjab, Sindh and Azad Jammu & Kashmir in the first phase, during which an estimated 146,000 girls in the federal capital are targeted for vaccination.
“This is a single-dose vaccine that provides lifetime protection and can prevent our daughters from ever developing cervical cancer,” District Health Officer Islamabad Dr. Syeda Rashida Batool told reporters during a news briefing at her office on Monday. She added that HPV vaccine would also become part of Pakistan’s routine immunization programme.
Dr. Rashida said that while the target for Islamabad was 146,000 girls, so far the health department had obtained complete data of 115,000 girls from schools and community sources. “We are determined to reach every eligible girl. In the second phase, boys will also be vaccinated against HPV to break the chain of transmission,” she noted.
Educational material shared during the event explained that cervical cancer remains one of the most common cancers in Pakistani women and is caused by HPV, a virus transmitted through sexual contact.
The disease often remains symptomless in its early stages, only appearing later with abnormal bleeding, genital warts, pelvic pain and painful urination. Experts warn that thousands of women in Pakistan, particularly between 15 and 44 years of age, are at high risk of the disease every year.
Dr. Rashida emphasized that the vaccine, recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and widely used in many countries, has the potential to save countless lives in Pakistan. “Just one shot is enough to protect girls for life against HPV, which is one of the biggest preventable causes of cancer deaths among women,” she said.
She informed that the campaign in Islamabad would be carried out through government and private schools, community mobilization and hospital vaccination centers. Lady Health Workers (LHWs) and Lady Health Visitors (LHVs) will also identify and bring in out-of-school girls for immunization.
Officials of the Federal Directorate of Immunization (FDI), which is supervising the national rollout, were not available to answer journalists’ questions regarding the long-term strategy, but Dr. Rashida confirmed that HPV vaccine would remain part of routine immunization henceforth.
“This is a historic moment for women’s health in Pakistan. By ensuring our daughters receive this vaccine, we are saving them from a preventable cancer and safeguarding their future,” she remarked.
Ends