Pakistan has rolled out its first-ever HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccination campaign, marking a major step in the fight against cervical cancer. At the launch ceremony in Islamabad, a schoolgirl at a public school became the first recipient of the vaccine.
Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal described the initiative as a “milestone” for the country’s healthcare system. The campaign targets 13 million girls aged 9 to 14, aiming to provide protection against a disease that claims thousands of lives each year.
The minister stressed that true healthcare reform lies in prevention rather than treatment, highlighting that the system cannot rely solely on building more hospitals. He pointed out that Pakistan continues to struggle with diseases eliminated elsewhere—such as polio, which remains endemic in only two countries, including Pakistan.
Sharing troubling figures, Kamal noted that nearly 11,000 mothers die each year during pregnancy in the country, while cervical cancer affects around 5,000 women annually, leading to approximately 3,000 deaths.
He urged parents to support the campaign by ensuring their daughters receive the vaccine, emphasizing that immunization at an early age would help protect future generations from the deadly disease.
