'Sehatmand Beti' Campaign: Free HPV Vaccination Drive Begins For Schoolgirls

Pakistan's Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) on Monday launched a nationwide vaccination campaign against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) to protect young girls from cervical cancer .

The campaign, titled“Sehatmand Beti, Sehatmand Gharana”, will run from September 15 to 27, 2025, targeting girls aged 9–14 years in schools, madrassas, and health facilities across Punjab, Sindh, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Islamabad, and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

In Sindh, the campaign was inaugurated at Khatoon-e-Pakistan Girls School in Karachi by Provincial Health Minister Dr. Azra Pechuho. Representatives from the Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF, and international NGOs also attended.

According to the Sindh Health Department, girls aged 9 to 14 will receive the HPV vaccine free of cost at all government schools and health centers.

In Punjab, the vaccination drive has also begun and will continue until September 27. The Punjab Health Department has made parental permission letters mandatory before administering the vaccine.“No girl will be vaccinated without written consent from parents,” stated a circular issued to district health authorities.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, health officials confirmed that the campaign will initially be launched in urban centers including Peshawar, Mardan, and Abbottabad, before expanding to other districts. EPI teams, along with school health units, will visit government and private schools to vaccinate eligible girls. Parents have been urged to cooperate to ensure maximum coverage.

Officials across the country say the campaign aims to curb the rising cases of cervical cancer and ensure a healthier future for the next generation.

HPV is responsible for cervical cancer - the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide - and is also linked to vulvar and vaginal cancers. Pakistan reports around 5,800 new cases of cervical cancer every year, with over 3,300 deaths.

The campaign uses a single-dose HPV vaccine to improve coverage, as multiple-dose schedules often lead to dropouts. Vaccines are being provided free of cost at EPI fixed centers, schools, and through mobile outreach teams.

Although this is a one-time campaign, officials have confirmed that starting in 2026, the HPV vaccine will become part of Pakistan's routine immunization program, beginning with nine-year-old girls.

Health experts and campaign partners have called for efforts to counter misinformation about HPV vaccination and to encourage parents to have their daughters vaccinated.

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