Shahzad Rasheed
Peshawar, The Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has officially launched a province-wide Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign to protect approximately 2.9 million girls aged 9–14 years against cervical cancer.
The campaign, being implemented by the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), Directorate General Health Services, will run from November 11 to 24, 2026. More than 5,000 vaccination teams have been deployed across the province to ensure eligible girls receive the vaccine through public and private schools and community-based vaccination activities.
The HPV vaccine, recently included as the 13th vaccine in Pakistan’s national immunization programme, provides protection against HPV infections that can cause cervical cancer, helping reduce the future burden of this life-threatening disease.
The launch ceremony was attended by senior representatives of the health and education departments, Federal Directorate of Immunization, Pakistan Paediatric Association, UNICEF, World Health Organization (WHO), Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Pakistan, and other development partners.
Participants highlighted the importance of HPV vaccination as a major preventive public health intervention and stressed coordinated efforts among government departments, healthcare professionals, parents, teachers and communities to achieve campaign targets.
The Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa urged parents, teachers, community leaders and all stakeholders to actively support the campaign and ensure that every eligible girl receives the vaccine, contributing to a healthier, safer future for generations of women.
