ISLAMABAD: The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign, which has been targeting 13 million girls aged 9 to 14, has so far achieved only 34 percent of its target, it was revealed on Wednesday.

So far, only 4.5 million girls out of the targeted 13 million have been vaccinated against the virus, which causes cervical cancer.

The update was shared with State Minister for National Health Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath, who visited the HPV vaccination site at Islamabad Model School for Girls (IMSG), G-6/1-3, to observe the public health effort.

The visit was organised by UNICEF in collaboration with the Federal Directorate of Immunisation (FDI).

The campaign, which began on 17 September, will conclude on 27 September.

Participants at the event included Dr Soofia Yunus, Director General of FDI; Dr Khurram Akram, Director (Technical), FDI Islamabad; Sharmeela Rasool, Deputy Country Representative, UNICEF Pakistan; Ellen Thon, Deputy WHO Representative, Pakistan; Dr Rashida Batool, District Health Officer; and Ms Mehreen Balooch, Assistant Commissioner ICT.

“This campaign is more than a vaccination drive — it is a promise of a healthier future for our daughters.

Every girl vaccinated is a life protected, a family safeguarded, and a future secured,” said Dr. Bharath.

He added, “Cervical cancer is the third most common cancer among women in Pakistan, with two out of three women diagnosed not surviving.

“The HPV vaccine is a safe, effective, and scientifically proven solution to prevent cervical cancer and save lives. Increasing HPV coverage among girls averts more deaths per person vaccinated than any other immunisation activity.”

A social media campaign was launched before the vaccination drive, but many parents refused to vaccinate their daughters.

Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal attempted to raise awareness by vaccinating his daughter in front of the media.

Reassuring parents, Dr Bharath stressed that the HPV vaccine was halal, endorsed by leading Islamic scholars, and already included in the national immunisation schedules of Muslim-majority countries such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Malaysia, Qatar, Bangladesh, and Indonesia.

“Protecting life (Hifz al-Nafs) is among the highest obligations in Islam. Shielding our daughters from a preventable disease is both a moral and religious duty,” he said.

Pakistan’s HPV vaccination campaign is aligned with the World Health Organisation’s Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative, which seeks to ensure that 90 percent of girls worldwide are vaccinated against HPV by age 15 by 2030.

The campaign is being implemented in three phases: Phase 1, running from 15–27 September 2025, covers Punjab, Sindh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and the Islamabad Capital Territory; Phase 2 will expand to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2026; and Phase 3 will reach Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan in 2027.

The goal is to vaccinate 90 per cent of girls aged 9–14 in Phase 1 regions by the end of 2025, and to sustain high coverage through routine immunisation in the coming years.

“The HPV vaccine is safe, free, and available to every eligible girl. By protecting their health today, we are safeguarding their education, their future, and their ability to contribute to society. Let us keep this momentum going until every eligible girl is reached,” Dr Bharath said.

Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2025