For the first time in Pakistan's history, a comprehensive HPV vaccination campaign has been launched to protect girls aged 9 to 14 from cervical cancer, a deadly yet preventable disease. Each year, cervical cancer claims the lives of more than 3,000 women in the country, with around 5,000 new cases diagnosed — most at late stages when treatment is less effective. Decades of global research have confirmed that the HPV vaccine is safe and effective, and endorsed by the World Health Organization. Pakistan has now joined over 150 countries that are already protecting their girls with this life-saving vaccine.

Sindh is at the forefront of this campaign, not only by setting ambitious targets but also by adopting practical, transparent strategies that inspire trust. The province aims to vaccinate 4.1 million girls, and in just the first six days, over 700,000 girls have already been vaccinated. This remarkable success is credited to the leadership of Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho and Education Minister Sardar Shah, who made schools the centerpiece of the campaign. Initiatives such as special vaccination days at the Karachi Press Club demonstrated that transparency and accessibility are top priorities.

Behind this effort is year-round planning and preparation. Under the guidance of Secretary Health Sindh Rehan Iqbal Baloch, Project Director EPI Sindh Dr Raj Kumar and Additional Director Dr Sohail Raza Shaikh have worked tirelessly with their teams to ensure that logistics,........

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