PESHAWAR: The Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), Directorate General of Health Services, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Wednesday launched the cervical cancer prevention vaccination campaign at Maulvi Ameer Shah Memorial Hospital here, marking a major milestone in protecting adolescent girls against cervical cancer.
The campaign targets 2.9 million girls aged 9-14 years. To ensure effective implementation, the department has deployed more than 5,000 vaccination teams across the province.
Vaccination services will be provided through schools and community outreach activities to reach both school-going and out-of-school girls.
The introduction of the HPV vaccine marks the addition of the 13th vaccine to Pakistan’s EPI and represents a major step forward in preventive healthcare.
Speaking at the launching ceremony, representatives of WHO, Unicef, the Pakistan Paediatric Association and the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Pakistan highlighted the safety and effectiveness of the HPV vaccine and its important role in preventing cervical cancer. They urged parents and communities to ensure that all eligible girls receive the vaccine and to help address misinformation and misconceptions.
Director Education Jaffar Mansoori highlighted the importance of coordination between the health and education departments.
Director General of Health Services, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr Naeem Awan reaffirmed the provincial government’s commitment to the successful implementation of the campaign through effective coordination, monitoring and community engagement.
The campaign will continue from Nov 11 to 24.
HPV vaccination is a safe and effective investment in the health and future of girls. Director EPI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Dr Sohail Farooqi, Unicef Team Lead Dr Inamullah Khan, WHO provincial lead Dr Babar Alam and others attended the ceremony.
Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2026
