**Punjab Begins Training Program to Prepare for Statewide HPV Vaccination Campaign**
The Punjab Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), with support from UNICEF, has launched a major training initiative in Lahore to prepare district-level teams for the upcoming Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign scheduled across the province in September next year. The program, titled “Empowerment of District Focal Persons: School & Community Mobilization for HPV Vaccination Campaign,” aims to strengthen the skills of local health officials to ensure effective implementation and community engagement.
The Training of Trainers (TOT) workshop was chaired by Dr. Samra Khurram, Director of Health Services (EPI), and brought together key partners and technical experts, including Dr. Qurat Ul Ain Ahmed, UNICEF Health Team Lead, Dr. Khurram Mubeen Khan, Immunization Officer, Dr. Mehroz Saleem, WHO Technical Officer, and Dr. Aneeba Khalid, WHO HPV Consultant. District focal persons responsible for Advocacy, Communication, and Social Mobilization (ACSM) and Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) from all 36 districts of Punjab also participated.
The primary goal of the training was to empower district master trainers with the knowledge and expertise required to conduct further training sessions for Union Council (UC)-level facilitators. These facilitators will be instrumental in rolling out school-based and community-oriented awareness activities, reinforcing the province’s ACSM and SBC strategies aimed at maximizing the reach and impact of the HPV vaccination campaign.
Throughout the workshop, participants were guided through focused thematic areas, detailed micro-planning for ACSM activities, mobilization strategies, and effective practices for engaging local communities and schools. The comprehensive training ensured that district teams across Punjab are well-prepared to conduct cascade trainings and mobilize support for the upcoming immunization drive.
With province-wide participation in the TOT program, Punjab is taking significant steps toward ensuring a successful and well-organized introduction of the HPV vaccine, which is expected to play a crucial role in protecting public health and combating cervical cancer among girls and women.
