KARACHI: The Sindh Health Department has formally included the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in the province’s routine immunisation programme, making it available free of charge for nine-year-old girls at Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) centres, officials said on Friday.
The decision, taken in line with a directive from the Federal Directorate of Immunisation, came into effect from January 1, according to a notification issued by the provincial health department. Other provinces are also expected to adopt similar measures in the coming months as part of a nationwide effort to prevent cervical cancer.
Under the new policy, the vaccination will specifically target girls aged nine years, with the provincial government aiming for a minimum coverage of 70 per cent. Health authorities have directed district health officers to implement a mixed delivery approach, combining facility-based services, community outreach and school-based vaccination activities to ensure wide and equitable coverage.
The notification emphasised that HPV vaccination must be fully integrated into the existing EPI recording and reporting mechanisms to ensure transparency, accountability and effective monitoring. Officials have also been instructed to complete micro-planning, staff orientation, logistics arrangements and cold chain management to support a smooth rollout.
According to health department officials, the vaccine will be provided at no cost at EPI centres, outreach sites and during school-based vaccination sessions. They said the integration into routine immunisation would help normalise the vaccine and improve acceptance among communities.
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The move follows Sindh’s first-ever province-wide HPV vaccination campaign launched on September 15, 2025, which targeted around 4.1 million girls aged between nine and 15 years. While officials reported coverage of over 65 per cent during the campaign, challenges were observed, particularly in urban areas such as Karachi, where misinformation on social media and hesitancy among parents affected uptake.
Health experts say cervical cancer remains a major public health concern in Pakistan. It is the second most common cancer among women globally and carries a mortality rate of more than 65 per cent in the country. The disease is primarily caused by HPV, a common virus transmitted through skin-to-skin contact.
“The vaccination shall target girls aged nine years with an intended minimum coverage of 70 per cent,” the notification stated.https://t.co/uOg0sdeuHX
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Medical specialists describe the HPV vaccine as the world’s first cancer-prevention vaccine, noting that it is safe, effective and offers complete protection against cervical cancer when administered at the recommended age. They stress that early vaccination, before exposure to the virus, significantly reduces the risk of developing the disease later in life.
Officials said Pakistan has become the 149th country to include the HPV vaccine in its immunisation schedule. The vaccine is already in routine use in several Muslim-majority countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Indonesia.
Public health authorities hope that incorporating the vaccine into routine immunisation will help reduce preventable cancer-related deaths and strengthen long-term disease prevention efforts across the country.
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