Cervical cancer vaccination campaign to begin in Lower Chitral on November 11, targeting 22,000 girls

Chitral (Chitral Express): The schedule has been announced for a 15-day vaccination campaign against cervical cancer in Lower Chitral, which will run from November 11 to November 25. The campaign aims to vaccinate 22,000 girls aged 9 to 15. During a press briefing at the Chitral Press Club, Deputy District Health Officer Dr. Irshad Ahmad and EPI District Coordinator Dr. Farman Nizar Khan briefed the media on the campaign, saying that 26 special teams had been formed across the district to ensure its complete success. The teams will visit all public and private schools and religious seminaries, where around 95 percent of girls in the target age group are enrolled. They said that, in addition to schools and seminaries, a door-to-door campaign would be conducted to reach girls who are not attending educational institutions or who might otherwise be missed, so that no girl is deprived of the vaccine that protects against this deadly disease. Explaining the campaign’s importance and benefits, health officials said the vaccine had formally been included as the 14th disease in the government’s Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI). They said the current campaign is specifically for girls who have turned 9 and have not yet received the vaccine. Doctors warned that cervical cancer is considered the third-largest and deadliest disease affecting women worldwide, and causes the deaths of tens of millions of women around the world every year. Developed countries began vaccination against this deadly disease as early as 1995, while Pakistan formally began its programme in 2025. Rejecting some doubts circulating on social media and among the public, health officers clarified that Saudi Arabia and all other Islamic countries had made the vaccine part of their health systems in 2010. In addition, leading religious scholars and clerics across the Islamic world, including Pakistan, have confirmed the vaccine’s medical benefits and authenticity and have issued a formal ruling declaring it permissible. Therefore, parents need not pay heed to any negative propaganda. Officials strongly appealed to parents, teachers and all segments of society to ensure their girls receive the vaccine during the campaign. They said a single dose of the vaccine costs up to Rs 42,000 in the open market, putting it beyond the reach of ordinary citizens, while the Health Department is providing this valuable vaccine completely free during the campaign. They issued an alert, saying that the vaccine would not be available free of charge after November 25, and urged parents to take advantage of this golden opportunity and ensure a safe and healthy future for their daughters. District Superintendent of Vaccination Ibadullah was also present.

Source: https://chitralexpress.com/updates/2026/11/10/106913/