The legal framework
Cervical cancer has long been under-addressed in Pakistan, with almost no organised screening and very low awareness. In 2025 the country launched its first large-scale HPV vaccination campaign, targeting girls aged 9 to 14, a major change after years in which the vaccine was available only privately. Screening remains limited and largely opportunistic.
Pakistan introduced HPV vaccination into its national programme with a large school-based campaign targeting girls, supported by international funding — a significant step in a country where cervical cancer was largely untreated and undetected. Screening coverage remains very low, and most cases are diagnosed late, which is what makes the vaccination campaign so consequential.
Key points
| Vaccination | First national campaign launched in 2025 for girls aged 9 to 14 |
|---|---|
| Previously | The vaccine was available only through private purchase |
| Screening | Limited and largely opportunistic; no national organised programme |
| Awareness | Low, and identified as a major barrier |
| Treatment | Concentrated in tertiary hospitals in major cities |
| Cost | The campaign vaccine is free |
In practice
- If your daughter is aged between 9 and 14, ask about the campaign at the nearest health facility: the vaccine is free.
- Ask a gynaecologist about screening if you are over 30; it is not offered routinely.
- Bleeding after sex or between periods requires examination without delay.
- Vaccination protects future generations but does not protect women already adult — screening does.
Cost and coverage
The campaign vaccine is free; screening in the private sector is paid for.
Recent changes
The 2025 national HPV vaccination campaign was the first of its kind in Pakistan and reached millions of girls.
Where to go
- District health facilities and vaccination campaign sites.
- Gynaecology departments of teaching hospitals.
- NGOs working on women's health.
Worth knowing
Vaccination protects girls vaccinated now; it does nothing for women already exposed. For adult women, the only effective measure remains screening, and it has to be requested.
Frequently asked questions
Is the vaccine free in Pakistan?
It has been introduced through the national immunisation programme with campaigns targeting girls in the eligible age group, delivered free through schools and health facilities. Availability outside campaign periods varies; ask at the district health office or an immunisation centre.
Why vaccinate boys as well as girls?
Because HPV causes cancers of the penis, anus and throat as well as the cervix, and genital warts in both sexes — and because high coverage in both sexes cuts transmission for everyone far faster than vaccinating girls alone. Programmes that include boys reach population-level protection years earlier, which is why almost every country that started with girls has since extended it.
Official sources and links
- Government of Pakistan — official government portal