More than 4.5 million parents across Pakistan have already chosen to protect their daughters through the HPV vaccine as the national campaign continues until 27 September 2025. Health officials say the figure is rising daily as teams work across schools and communities in the Phase 1 regions.
State Minister for National Health Dr. Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath visited the vaccination site at Islamabad Model School for Girls G-6/1-3 to observe the campaign in action. The visit was organized by UNICEF in collaboration with the Federal Directorate of Immunization, MoNHSR&C, and was attended by senior health officials including Dr. Soofia Yunus, Dr. Khurram Akram, Ms. Sharmeela Rasool of UNICEF Pakistan, Ms. Ellen Thon of WHO Pakistan, District Health Officer Dr. Rashida Batool, and Assistant Commissioner Mehreen Balooch.
Dr. Bharath said this campaign is more than a vaccination drive – it is a promise of a healthier future for our daughters, underlining that every girl vaccinated is a life protected and a family safeguarded. He reassured parents that the HPV vaccine is safe, effective and available free of charge to eligible girls.
Officials noted that cervical cancer remains the third most common cancer among women in Pakistan, with many affected women not surviving the disease. Citing international evidence, they highlighted that increasing coverage of the HPV vaccine averts more deaths per person vaccinated than most other immunization activities.
To address cultural concerns, Dr. Bharath emphasized that the HPV vaccine is halal and has been endorsed by leading Islamic scholars. He pointed out that the vaccine is already included in national immunization schedules in several Muslim-majority countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Malaysia, Qatar, Bangladesh and Indonesia.
The campaign in Pakistan aligns with the World Health Organization’s Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative and is being rolled out in phases. Phase 1, from 15–27 September 2025, covers Punjab, Sindh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and the Islamabad Capital Territory. Phase 2 will extend to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2026, and Phase 3 will reach Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan in 2027, with a target of vaccinating 90% of girls aged 9–14 in Phase 1 regions by the end of 2025.
Health leaders praised the joint efforts of the Ministry of National Health Services, the Federal Directorate of Immunization, WHO, UNICEF, Gavi, provincial health departments, teachers, frontline workers, community mobilizers, civil society and religious leaders. Dr. Bharath urged all parents to take up the free HPV vaccine for eligible daughters, stressing that protecting their health today safeguards education, futures and the ability of girls to contribute to society.
