Indus Vitals

In the recent weeks, there have been reports highlighting developments made locally and globally towards elimination of a major health concern –cervical cancer— affecting hundreds of thousands of women. Matching to other provinces in the country, Sindh has also started preparations for introducing a preventive human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV). World Health Organisation (WHO) has also approved two more new HPV vaccines for global marketing, which are being seen as a good omen, as unified approach and actions have emerged towards eliminating cervical cancer from everywhere across the globe. Cervical cancer, attributed to the most common viral infection of the reproductive tract, is a major health issue in low and middle income countries including those in South Asia. It is estimated that every two minutes, a woman dies of cervical cancer globally. South Asia accounts for 22.2% of global cervical cancer cases and 26.4% of cervical cancer deaths. At present as much as 141 countries...

  KARACHI: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has taken another step forward in the fight against cervical cancer by approving two new human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines, Cecolin and Walrivax, for global marketing. This brings the total number of approved vaccines to five, increasing access to life-saving medications for girls in low- and middle-income countries. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasises that cervical cancer can be eliminated, and these new vaccine approvals bring us closer to achieving that goal. Dr Kate O'Brien, Director of the Department of Immunisation, Vaccines and Biologicals at WHO, notes that the addition of Cecoline, a single-dose vaccine, will give countries more options to reach more girls. However, challenges remain, including global supply shortages since 2018 and recent production challenges that have hindered HPV vaccine introductions, potentially affecting millions of girls in Africa and Asia. The WHO urges continued efforts to...

IV Report KARACHI: Sindh province has initiated advocacy efforts to introduce the single-dose bivalent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for girls aged 9-14, aiming to eliminate cervical cancer. The Sindh Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), supported by UNICEF Sindh, held its first advocacy meeting and seminar on September 5, chaired by Provincial Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho and attended by Health Secretary Rehan Iqbal Baloch. Pakistan's EPI schedule currently covers 12 diseases, but lacks vaccines for adolescents and adults. The National Immunisation Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) has recommended introducing HPV vaccines, with Punjab, Sindh, and Islamabad likely to roll out the program in 2025. Addressing the seminar, Dr Pechuho emphasised the provincial government's commitment to women's health, citing Sindh's advocacy for female rights and vaccination programs. “ The HPV advocacy initiative is one of our key projects, and we are committed to ...