Rawalpindi Prepares For Anti-cancer Vaccination Drive To Protect Young Girls

RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Sep, 2025) In an important immunization move to protect young girls from various types of cancer, District Health Authority (DHA), Rawalpindi is preparing for a robust large-scale Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination drive. Starting from September 15, the drive aims to vaccinate 3,87,334 girls aged 9-14 protecting from cervical cancer and other HPV-related cancers.

In an important interaction with APP here on Wednesday, Dr. Waqar Ahmed, the DHA Spokesman informed that running until September 27, the drive will cover all 09 Tehsils and 212 union councils in the entire district that homes over 6.3 million population.

The campaign employs a two-pronged strategy to maximize reach, 303 outreach teams will vaccinate 3,81,634 girls, while 19 fixed-site centers will serve an additional 5,700 girls.

"A total of 4,06,701 vaccine doses and syringes, along with 4,068 safety boxes have been supplied for the drive ensuring safe and effective delivery", said Dr. Waqar.

Similarly, a dedicated workforce including 322 skilled vaccinators, 322 team assistants and 625 social mobilizers will drive vaccination and community engagement.

Moreover, the drive is planned for maintaining the safety of the vaccination process and oversight.

"To ensure safety and oversight, 212 first-level supervisors, 27 second-level supervisors and 212 focal persons per union council will monitor operations and manage adverse events and waste disposal", spokesman said.

Earlier, the authority also wrote letters to the district's schools seeking their support in providing a list of female students falling in the prescribed age group and extending cooperation to the health teams to ensure the campaign's success, highlighting its importance as a public health initiative.

The District Health Authority has urged parents, teachers, and local leaders to support this critical public health effort.

“This is a shared responsibility to protect our children’s future,” Dr. Waqar said.395