Pakistan to launch HPV vaccine in Sept to combat cervical cancer

(Web Desk): Good news for millions of women in Pakistan aged 15 to 44 at risk of cervical cancer: the HPV vaccine will be made available starting this September.

A senior official from the Gates Foundation said that Pakistan will begin providing the cervical cancer vaccine in September.

According to a fact sheet by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Information Centre, there are over 73.8 million women aged 15 and above in Pakistan who are at risk of cervical cancer — which is the second most common cancer among women aged 15 to 44.

However, a single dose of the HPV vaccine can offer lifelong protection against this disease.

Dr. Anita Zaidi, president of the Gender Equality Division at the Gates Foundation, stated that in the initial phase, the vaccine will be administered to girls aged 9 to 11, and later may be extended to older age groups.

She emphasized that since screening for cervical cancer in Pakistan is limited, prevention remains the best approach.

This initiative is separate from the Gates Foundation’s broader global effort, under which $2.5 billion will be spent by 2030 to improve women’s health. On Monday, the foundation announced its commitment to support 40 new medical innovations in five key but historically neglected areas, especially those affecting women in low- and middle-income countries.

Bill Gates, Chairman of the Gates Foundation, said, "Investing in women’s health creates ripple effects across generations — it’s the foundation of healthy families, strong economies, and a more just world." He added that women’s health continues to be underfunded and overlooked, and many women still die or suffer from preventable, treatable conditions — a trend that must end, though the foundation cannot do it alone.

Research shows that every $1 invested in women’s health yields $3 in economic growth. Closing the gender health gap could add $1 trillion to the global economy annually by 2040.

Despite the clear economic benefits — and the undeniable fact that women are central to human survival — investment in medical R&D for women-specific conditions remains minimal. A 2001 analysis by McKinsey & Co. revealed that only 1% of global research and innovation (excluding cancer) focuses on women-specific health issues.

One key innovation beneficial for women in low-income countries is the six-month contraceptive injection, which can be used discreetly — vital in countries like Pakistan, where even advocating for bodily autonomy is often frowned upon.

The Gates Foundation has long worked in Pakistan, collaborating with institutions like Aga Khan University and LUMS to develop AI-based and other local solutions in maternal health, nutrition, and disease prevention.

According to Bill Gates, even the world’s wealthiest individuals cannot achieve this alone — governments and private sectors must jointly invest in women’s health innovation. However, in countries where even "honor killings" of daughters are justified by their mothers, issues like malnutrition are often seen as secondary.

Dr. Anita Zaidi, who previously worked at Aga Khan University, recalled seeing malnourished children with multiple health issues during her medical practice in Pakistan. While advising mothers on breastfeeding, she often found that mothers themselves were too unhealthy to provide nourishment.

She stressed that improving child health is impossible without improving maternal health. Continued neglect of women’s health, she noted, has placed Pakistan among the worst countries globally for newborn deaths, where 1 in every 25 babies dies within the first month of life.

While many aspects of women’s health need attention, Dr. Zaidi believes the most urgent focus should be on maternal health during pregnancy.

She explained that a mother’s gut health is directly linked to malnutrition, as poor diet, lack of calories and vitamins, and unhygienic environments cause gut inflammation, leading to poor health. Sick mothers give birth to sick children, and this cycle continues across generations.

Dr. Zaidi concluded that Pakistan cannot progress unless it recognizes that women's advancement is central to national development. Ultimately, she emphasized, it's up to the people of Pakistan to bring change through civil society engagement, policymaking, and implementation.