Eight Pakistani women lose their lives in cervical cancer every day

Eight women lose their lives in cervical cancer daily in Pakistan, according to a health expert who said it was a completely preventive disease.

“If not effective measures are taken, the burden of this disease is expected to triple over the next 70 years,” Dr. Muneeba Ahsan Sayeed, associated with Dow University of Health Sciences, said Wednesday.

Speaking at an event organized at the University of Karachi, he said that it usually takes 15 to 20 years – or even more – for an HPV infection to develop cervical cancer.

Worldwide, Dr. Sayeed noted, a woman dies every two minutes of this preventive disease. He added that alarmingly, 90% of these deaths occur in low and medium -income countries. Of the 660,000 cases of cervical cancer reported worldwide each year, the health expert, 95% caused by HPV infection.

Dr. Sayeed further emphasized that Pakistan has now become the second largest country in South Asia, after India, with the largest number of children who have not received routine vaccinations. This number is 419,000 children, according to data from a recent study published in the British medical journal The Lancet, he said.

The health expert also shared that in 2023, Pakistan reported between 4,700 and 4,800 new cervical cancer cases and nearly 3,000 relative deaths, translating 5.4 women per 100,000 affected, with a mortality rate of 64%.

He added that although the country has over 123.8 million women, the percentage of cases mentioned is only 0.004%. HPV is a common virus and it is estimated that 50% to 80% of women will have it at some point in their lives. Of these, almost half are infected with high -risk strains that have the potential to cause cancer.

Dr. Sayeed noted that Pakistan officially launched the first national human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) on September 15, 2025 in South Asia, Pakistan is the second to the last country to include the HPV vaccine in the immunization routine program. “Pakistan also remains one of the last two countries – along with Afghanistan – where polio virus still exists locally, despite global efforts to eliminate it.”

The health expert pointed out that a study by the World Health Organization was conducted between 2021 and 2023 at 18 healthcare centers in Pakistan reported only 1,580 cases of cervical cancer. He added that this low number reflects the severe deficiency of the disease, mainly due to limited examination and the absence of a national cancer register.

Regional Health Officer, Karachi, east, Dr. Zahid Solangi, said the HPV vaccine has received a positive response to the rural areas. “A significant number of families has ensured that their daughters received the vaccine.”

He confirmed that the vaccine will continue to be available until December, after which it will be granted under the expanded immunization program (EPI).

Another speaker, Dr. Kiran Iqbal Masood of Aga Khan University, explained the molecular structure of the HPV virus, noting his ability to interact with human DNA and cause mutations. He stressed that the virus can spread through media in addition to sexual intercourse, making vaccination more substantial.

Dr. Farhan Essa’s chief executive, stressed that Pakistan’s youth is a valuable advantage that can contribute to national progress, prioritizing their health. It issued the government’s initiative to provide the HPV vaccine at no cost, encouraging young people – especially girls – to take full advantage of it.