ISLAMABAD: The World Health Organization (WHO) is partnering with the Government of Pakistan to train over 49,000 health workers ahead of the country’s first human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination drive, scheduled for 15–27 September.
The campaign aims to vaccinate 13 million girls aged 9–14 across Punjab, Sindh, Islamabad Capital Territory, and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, marking a major milestone in the fight against cervical cancer—the third most common cancer among women in Pakistan.
Each year, the country reports over 5,000 new cervical cancer cases, with a high mortality rate of 64 percent, among the highest in South Asia. A WHO study (2021–2023) found 1,580 cases across 18 healthcare facilities, suggesting significant underreporting due to low screening rates and the lack of a national registry. Without vaccination, the disease burden is projected to triple over the next seven decades.
With support from GAVI, The Vaccine Alliance, WHO-led cascade training sessions will run until the end of August, focusing on vaccinators, doctors, social mobilizers, and data entry operators. The program includes technical guidance, microplanning, readiness assessments, and capacity building, in collaboration with the Federal Directorate of Immunization (FDI) and Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI).
The campaign aligns with the World Health Assembly’s Global Strategy to eliminate cervical cancer, which targets 90% HPV vaccination coverage for girls by age 15, 70% screening for women, and 90% treatment for those diagnosed by 2030. The HPV vaccine rollout will expand to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2026, and Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan in 2027.
