ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s southern Sindh province will launch a Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination drive for school-going girls aged nine to 14 years in September, state-run media reported this month.

HPV is a very common virus that can cause cancers later in life, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About 13 million people, including teens, become infected with HPV each year. Medical experts recommend protecting children from these cancers through the HPV vaccine.

The HPV vaccine series, as per the CDC, is most effective when given before a person is exposed to the virus. It is a very common virus that is spread through sexual contact and can live in the skin for many years without causing symptoms. In some cases, HPV can cause genital warts or cervical cancer.

“Sindh government announced to launch vaccination campaign for school-going girls aged from nine to fourteen in September this year,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on June 4. “According to official sources, the Human Papillomavirus vaccination campaign will be launched in all districts of the province.”

Citing sources, the state media said vaccinations will also be eligible for “uneducated” girls.

According to UNICEF, cervical cancer claims the lives of 3,200 women in Pakistan each year despite being preventable with the HPV vaccine. Yet, awareness about HPV and the importance of vaccination remains alarmingly low in the South Asian country.

In 2025, UNICEF together with partners GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance and the World Health Organization, said it will support Pakistan to introduce the HPV vaccine to help protect millions of adolescent girls from cervical cancer.

It cited myths and taboos as one of the greatest challenges to HPV vaccine acceptance in Pakistan. These myths, it said, included ones that claimed vaccines cause infertility and another that the HPV vaccine is just for sexually active girls.