Sindh moves to introduce HPV vaccine to combat cervical cancer
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 ...