The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has begun supplying Pakistan with the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to protect millions of girls against cervical cancer. The nationwide campaign, confirmed by officials on Monday, will run from September 15 to 27 across Punjab, Sindh, Islamabad, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Health authorities said the first phase of the campaign will reach 136,760 girls aged 9 to 14 years. The broader goal is to immunize 13 million girls over the coming years, marking Pakistan’s largest cervical cancer prevention effort to date.
The Ministry of Health confirmed the arrival of five consignments of the Chinese-manufactured HPV vaccine, totaling 10 million doses. In all, 13 million doses are expected to be delivered for the program. The National Interagency Coordination Committee has approved the use of the vaccine nationwide.
The vaccine will be administered by health department teams in public and private schools, as well as at community centers and through mobile vaccination units to expand access. Officials said these measures are designed to reach both urban and rural populations effectively.
Cervical cancer is the third most common cancer among women in Pakistan. The country records more than 5,000 new cases annually, with nearly 3,200 deaths, a 64% mortality rate, one of the highest in South Asia. Experts attribute the high death rate to late diagnoses and limited access to screening.
Further phases of the HPV vaccination drive are scheduled for 2026 and 2027, as part of Pakistan’s long-term strategy to eliminate cervical cancer in line with the World Health Assembly’s Global Strategy.