Punjab starts vaccine preparation to prevent cervical cancer

LAHORE:Punjab has geared up preparations setting milestone timelines for the introduction of vaccine to control cervical cancer related to Human Papilloma Virus in its routine immunisation schedule following formal approval from the National Inter Agency Coordination Committee (NICC) and the National Immunisation Technical Advisory Group (NITAG), said Director General Health Services Punjab Dr Ilyas Gondal at the stakeholders seminar on HPV organised by the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) with UNICEF support at a local hotel here.

Present in the seminar were EPI Director Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, IRMNCH Programme Director Dr Khalil Ahmed Sakhani, representatives of the Federal Directorate of Immunisation, Head of Gynecology and Obstetrics Department Services Hospital Lahore Prof Tayyaba Waseem, International Ambassador of HPV Society Dr Naureen Zafar, provincial lead World Health Organisation Dr Jamshaid Ahmed, UNICEF Health Specialist Dr Quratul Ain, John Hopkins University affiliates, Gates Foundation experts, representatives of Pakistan Pediatrics Association, Pakistan Medical Association and Pakistan Academy of Family Physicians and renowned oncologists and gynecologists.

DG Health Dr Ilyas Gondal said that the preparations were initiated on directions from Minister Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Khawaja Imran Nazir. He said Human Papillomavirus is leading cause of Cervical Cancer worldwide and the third most common cancer among women in Pakistan with over 73.8 million women at risk in the country. He said following the NICC and NITAG recommendations, Punjab has set a one-year road map for vaccine introduction by the second half of 2025. Director EPI Dr Mukhtar Ahmed said that vaccine would be administered to girls aged between 9 to 14 years of age; vaccine would be introduced in two-phased manner.