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- Human papillomavirus vaccination drive from Sept. 15-27 will target 13 million girls, help protect them from cervical cancer, says WHO
- WHO says Pakistan annually reports 5,000 new cases of cervical cancer in women annually, with 3,200 of these women dying from disease
KARACHI: The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday it is partnering with the Pakistani government to train 49,000 health workers for the country’s first human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination drive from Sept. 15-27, highlighting that it would target 13 million girls and help protect them from cervical cancer.
HPV is a very common virus that can cause cancers later in life, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About 13 million people, including teens, become infected with HPV each year. Medical experts recommend protecting children from these cancers through the HPV vaccine.
In its press release, the WHO said cervical cancer ranks as the third most frequent cancer among Pakistani women. It said the country has a female population of 73.8 million aged 15 years and older at risk of the virus and reports 5,000 new cases of cervical cancer in women annually. The global health body said almost 3,200 of these 5,000 cases, roughly 64 percent, die from the disease.
“The campaign will be a historic milestone to prevent cervical cancer in the country, targeting for the first time 13 million girls aged 9 to 14 years across Punjab, Sindh, Islamabad Capital Territory and Pakistan-administered Kashmir,” the statement said.
The WHO said that with funding support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the training sessions for health workers will be conducted until the end of August and would focus on microplanning and essential skills for vaccinators, doctors, social mobilizers and data entry operators.
It said WHO’s support for the drive includes technical guidance for conceptualization, planning, data analysis, readiness assessments and capacity development in close collaboration with partners, the Pakistan Federal Directorate of Immunization (FDI) and its Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) at the federal and provincial levels.
“This HPV vaccination campaign is more than just a public health intervention; it is an investment in the health and potential of our daughters,” Dr. Soofia Yunus, director-general, FDI, said. “By embracing this vaccine, Pakistan is taking a big step to protect its future from cervical cancer.”
It said the vaccination campaign aligns with the World Health Assembly’s Global Strategy for cervical cancer elimination. The strategy aims that by 2030, 90 percent of girls are fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by 15 years of age, 70 percent of women are screened, and 90 percent of women with pre-cancer or invasive cancer receive treatment.
The global health body said Pakistan’s mortality rate for cervical cancer can primarily be attributed to delayed diagnoses and limited access to screening programs. The WHO said a recent study it conducted across 18 health care facilities in Pakistan from 2021-2023, 1,580 cases of cervical cancer were documented, indicating a significant underestimation of the disease burden due to low screening rates and the lack of a national cervical cancer registry.
“Modelling data indicates that, in the absence of vaccination, the cervical cancer disease burden in Pakistan will increase markedly by at least three-fold over the next seven decades,” the statement said.
WHO said the HPV vaccine’s phased introduction will pave the way for its eventual rollout in other Pakistani provinces and areas, such as the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2026, and Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan in 2027.