KARACHI: The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday it is partnering with the Pakistani government to train 49,000 health workers for the country’s first human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination drive from Sept. 15-27, highlighting that it would target 13 million girls and help protect them from cervical cancer.
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.
In its press release, the WHO said cervical cancer ranks as the third most frequent cancer among Pakistani women. It said the country has a female population of 73.8 million aged 15 years and older at risk of the virus and reports 5,000 new cases of cervical cancer in women annually. The global health body said almost 3,200 of these 5,000 cases, roughly 64 percent, die from the disease.
“The campaign will be a historic milestone to prevent cervical cancer in the country, targeting for the first time 13 million girls aged 9 to 14 years across Punjab, Sindh, Islamabad Capital Territory and Pakistan-administered Kashmir,” the statement said.
