CHINIOT: The District Health Authority (DHA) has planned to immunise a total of 111,101 girls aged between 9-14 years for human papillomavirus (HPV) which causes cervical cancer among women.

This plan was unveiled by District Health Officer (preventive services) Dr Mursaleen Jutt while briefing a meeting held under the chairmanship of Chiniot deputy commissioner.

Cervical cancer and HPV is the third most prevalent cause of cancer in women of all ages in Pakistan and the second most common in women of reproductive age group (15-44 years). There are an estimated 5,008 women diagnosed with cervical cancer and 3,197 have died from this disease.

The programme plans to cover the entire Pakistan and its first phase will be launched in Punjab, Sindh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad followed by the second phase in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while Balochistan and Gilgit will be covered in the third phase.

During the campaign, a total number of 15,068,366 girls will be vaccinated, out of which 11,213,612 girls will be vaccinated in Punjab.

Dr Mursaleen said the vaccination would be started from September 15 after the summer vacations in schools. He said that meanwhile, the DHA started an awareness campaign about the disease.

Deputy Commissioner Safiullah Gondal stressed the health officials to arrange community awareness sessions, seminars, sessions at schools as well as arrange promotional material to convey the importance of this vaccination.

He also advised the officials to use social, print and electronic media for community awareness to deter the spread of fake news about this vaccination.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2025