Sindh Health minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho on Monday reviewed the HPV vaccination drive and issued directives for including HPV vaccine against cervical cancer in the routine immunisation programme. She said our daughters were our future and protecting them from cervical cancer was the government’s priority.
Officials said the health minister chaired a high-level meeting on the ongoing Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign, reviewed its progress and discussed the future roadmap. Representatives from civil society organisations, Indus Hospital, Aman Foundation, HELP, Federal Directorate of Immunisation, and Oxford Policy Management participated in the meeting, which focused on strategies to protect girls from cervical cancer and to enhance public awareness through a coordinated communication campaign.
Dr Azra appreciated the efforts of all the partner organisations for their exceptional performance, saying the Sindh government, through strong collaboration with civil society, had been advancing its public health initiatives successfully.
Highlighting the campaign’s milestone, she said the HPV vaccination drive had successfully reached girls aged between nine and 14 years, and termed it a historic achievement. “The government is determined to further strengthen vaccination and awareness efforts and to make the HPV vaccine a permanent component of the province’s routine immunization programme,” she stated.
She stressed that cervical cancer prevention remained one of Sindh’s top public health priorities. She urged the partner organisations to ensure equal vaccine access in every district, and employ modern communication tools and community mobilisation methods to encourage parents to have their daughters vaccinated on time. “Our daughters are our future,” the health minister said. “Vaccination is vital to protect them from cervical cancer. No girl should be left behind,” she maintained.
