Cervical cancer shots available free

KARACHI:

The Sindh government has officially added the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in a move to protect young girls from cervical cancer.

This new addition brings the total number of diseases covered under the EPI to 13, marking a crucial step in the fight against preventable diseases. The HPV vaccine will be available free of charge at over 100 EPI centres across the city, but it will only be administered to girls aged nine years and above.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Dr Raj Kumar, Director of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation, said that a circular had been issued to all district health officers across the province, including Karachi, instructing them to begin administering the HPV vaccine from Jan 1, 2026. The vaccine would be provided to girls up to the age of nine who visit the designated EPI vaccination centres.

Dr Kumar further stated that the provincial government has allocated Rs797 million to the federal government for the procurement of the HPV vaccine over a three-year period.

The initiative aims to vaccinate 700,000 girls annually, with the federal government handling the purchase of the vaccine. The provincial government will cover Rs797 million of the total cost, which will be paid directly to the federal authorities.

The move to introduce the HPV vaccine comes on the heels of an earlier, much-publicised vaccination campaign launched on Sept 15, 2025, which aimed to protect girls from cervical cancer. The campaign, targeting girls aged 9 to 15 years across Sindh had faced challenges, with many parents expressing distrust and refusing to have their daughters vaccinated.

Despite an extensive publicity and awareness campaign by the Health Department, which included TV advertisements, social media awareness programs, and local outreach efforts, the response was underwhelming.

Anti-vaccination elements were also active. The circulation of AI-generated videos and other fear-mongering content on social media contributed to widespread panic.