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PESHAWAR, Jan 20 (APP):The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Health Department has initiated groundwork to implement a comprehensive roadmap for preventing cervical cancer, a leading malignancy among women worldwide and the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths in females.
“Pakistan has developed a national roadmap to prevent cervical cancer by including the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine among the twelve essential vaccines administered to children to prevent various diseases,” shared Dr. Mehtab Khan, Deputy Director of the Expanded Programme for Immunization (EPI) KP.
Dr. Mehtab, who also serves as the focal person for HPV vaccination in KP, emphasized that the initiative aligns with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2030 target for global cervical cancer elimination. One of the key strategies is achieving 90% vaccination coverage of girls with the HPV vaccine by the age of 15.
According to the national roadmap, Pakistan will introduce the HPV vaccine in 2025 in a phased manner. Vaccination efforts will begin in Sindh, Punjab, and Islamabad, followed by KP in 2026 and Balochistan in 2027. The vaccine will target adolescent girls aged 9 to 14 years.
To support this initiative, the EPI KP has established a Technical Working Group tasked with developing a strategy for cervical cancer prevention, creating a cancer registry focusing on women’s cancers, including cervical cancer and reviving school health programs to incorporate HPV vaccination.
Efforts to raise awareness about cervical cancer and HPV vaccination have already begun. The department is hosting educational broadcasts on Radio Pakistan, featuring oncologists to discuss the risks and impact of cervical cancer.
Plans are underway to expand these activities to social media platforms and television channels to reach a wider audience.
Additionally, EPI is compiling records of cervical cancer patients from public and private hospitals to build a comprehensive database.
Recognizing cultural sensitivities, EPI plans to induct female vaccinators for administering the HPV vaccine.
This decision addresses societal norms where male vaccinators administering vaccines to girls aged 9 to 14 may not be culturally acceptable. Currently, EPI vaccinators are predominantly male and focus on administering routine immunizations.
To ensure the success of the HPV vaccination program, EPI is engaging various stakeholders, including female politicians, Members of Provincial Assembly (MPAs), religious scholars, and media professionals.
Awareness sessions will educate these groups on the importance of HPV vaccination in protecting women from cervical cancer.
The program is supported by international organizations such as WHO, GAVI, UNICEF, and Jhpiego, which will provide technical assistance in health worker training, community engagement, and outreach to target populations.
Through these combined efforts, the KP Health Department aims to meet international public health standards and contribute to the global fight against cervical cancer, Dr. Mehtab remarked.