PESHAWAR, Nov 11 (APP):Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has launched a province-wide vaccination campaign to protect girls against cervical cancer, under which approximately 2.9 million girls aged 9 to 14 will be vaccinated free of charge. According to the Health Department, the campaign would continue until November 24 and would cover girls enrolled in public and private schools and religious seminaries, as well as those who are out of school. The overall target …
KP launches HPV vaccination campaign to protect 2.9 million girls against cervical cancer
PESHAWAR, Nov 11 (APP):Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has launched a province-wide vaccination campaign to protect girls against cervical cancer, under which approximately 2.9 million girls aged 9 to 14 will be vaccinated free of charge.
According to the Health Department, the campaign would continue until November 24 and would cover girls enrolled in public and private schools and religious seminaries, as well as those who are out of school.
The overall target includes approximately 1.6 million school-going girls and 1.3 million out-of-school girls. In Peshawar alone, the authorities have set a target of vaccinating 374,000 girls.
Special vaccination sessions will be organised at educational institutions, while dedicated teams will visit different localities and villages to reach girls who are not attending school.
Mobile vaccination teams will also provide the facility in remote areas, while vaccines will remain available at government health centres.
According to medical experts, cervical cancer is primarily caused by infection with the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), certain strains of which can cause cervical cancer if they persist in the body for an extended period.
HPV vaccination at an early age provides effective protection against the risk of developing the disease.
More than 5,000 new cases of cervical cancer are reported in Pakistan every year, while approximately 3,000 women lose their lives to the disease annually.
Medical experts believe that timely vaccination and public awareness can significantly reduce the risk of this life-threatening disease.
The health department has urged parents to ensure that their daughters aged 9 to 14 years receive the vaccine during the campaign.
