HPV Vaccine in Pakistan for Girls 9 to 14: Parents’ Questions
The HPV vaccine in Pakistan is offered free to girls aged 9 to 14 to protect them from cervical cancer later in life. It is given as a single injection in the arm, it has been used in more than 150 countries including Muslim-majority ones, and there is no evidence that it affects fertility. The common side effects are a sore arm, a mild fever or a headache. Here are straight answers to the questions parents actually ask.
In brief
- Who: girls aged 9 to 14 (the WHO priority group).
- Why that age: it works best given years before any possible exposure.
- How many shots: one dose in Pakistan’s programme; some girls with weak immunity need more.
- Cost: free through the government programme.
- Common side effects: sore arm, mild fever, headache, tiredness.
- Fainting: sit for 15 minutes after the injection.
What is HPV, and why does it matter?
HPV (human papillomavirus) is a very common family of viruses, around 200 types. Most infections cause no symptoms and the body clears them on its own. A few high-risk types, though, can stay in the body for years and slowly change the cells of the cervix (the neck of the womb). That persistent infection is the cause of nearly all cervical cancer, and HPV is also linked to some cancers of the mouth, throat and other areas in both women and men.
Cervical cancer takes many years to develop, which is why the vaccine is given in childhood and why adult women still need screening. If you are a mother reading this, the Pap smear report guide explains your own screening results.
The Pakistan HPV campaign
Pakistan introduced the HPV vaccine in a national campaign that began on 15 September 2025, run by the Federal Directorate of Immunization with support from Gavi, UNICEF and WHO. The first phase covered Punjab, Sindh, Islamabad Capital Territory and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and offered a single dose free to girls aged 9 to 14, through schools, fixed vaccination centres, outreach teams and mobile teams. The plan is for other regions to follow and for the vaccine to join the routine schedule for 9-year-old girls. Details change, so check with your local EPI centre or district health office for what is running near you.
Why only girls aged 9 to 14?
The vaccine works by preventing infection, not by clearing an infection that is already there. Given at 9 to 14, years before any possible exposure, it gives the strongest protection, and young bodies respond very well to it, which is why one dose is enough at this age. Girls are prioritised because cervical cancer is the most common HPV-linked cancer and the one the programme is targeting. Some countries also vaccinate boys, because HPV causes cancers in men too and vaccinating boys reduces spread. Pakistan’s current programme focuses on girls.
Giving it at 9 says nothing about a girl’s behaviour, now or later. It is timing, the same logic as giving the measles vaccine before a child meets measles.
HPV vaccine side effects: what to expect
Many girls have no side effects at all. The common ones are mild and pass in a day or two:
- pain, redness or swelling where the injection was given,
- a low fever,
- headache or tiredness,
- nausea, or aching muscles or joints.
Serious allergic reactions are rare, and vaccinators are trained to deal with them, which is part of why girls are observed after the injection. The vaccine contains no live virus and no viral DNA, so it cannot cause HPV infection or cancer.
Prevent the faint
Teenagers faint after injections more often than younger children, mostly from nerves, an empty stomach and standing up too soon. Make sure your daughter eats breakfast and drinks water first, has the injection sitting down, and stays seated for 15 minutes afterwards. Talking to her during that time helps. Fainting after a jab is not an allergic reaction, but a fall can cause injury.
Seek urgent help if, within minutes to hours of the injection, your daughter has swelling of the face, lips or tongue, difficulty breathing, wheezing, a widespread itchy rash, or collapses and does not come round quickly. Contact a doctor if fever lasts more than 2 days, the arm becomes very red, hot and swollen, or you are worried. Tell the vaccinator beforehand if she has had a serious allergic reaction to any vaccine, is unwell with a high fever on the day, or has a condition or medicine that weakens immunity, since she may need more than one dose. Pain relief for a sore arm is given by weight or age from the pack or a pharmacist.
Does the HPV vaccine affect fertility?
No. This is the fear most spread on WhatsApp, and it has been looked at closely. Safety monitoring by the US CDC and FDA, drawing on many studies and reporting systems, has found no evidence that HPV vaccines cause fertility problems, including early menopause. The vaccine has been given to many millions of girls in more than 150 countries for well over a decade; women vaccinated as girls have gone on to have children.
The opposite point matters too: cervical cancer and its treatment can make pregnancy impossible. Preventing that cancer protects a woman’s future ability to have children. General vaccine myths, like the autism claim, are covered elsewhere on the site.
Is the HPV vaccine halal?
This is a question for religious scholars rather than a health site, so here is what is known on the health side: the vaccine is WHO-prequalified, has been used in many Muslim-majority countries, and Pakistan’s federal health ministry promoted it publicly as safe and effective. Ask the vaccinator for the product information if you want to read its ingredients, or consult a scholar you trust. Keep in mind that refusing a vaccine is a decision about a cancer risk decades away, so make it on the facts, not on forwarded messages.
Where to get the HPV vaccine, step by step
- Check whether your daughter is 9 to 14 years old.
- Ask her school whether a vaccination team is visiting, or contact your nearest EPI centre or government hospital vaccination room.
- Take her B-form or other ID and her vaccination card if she has one.
- Give breakfast and water beforehand; let her wear a short or loose sleeve.
- After the injection, sit together for 15 minutes.
- Ask for the dose to be entered on her card or record, and keep a photo of it.
If she missed the campaign, ask the EPI centre whether catch-up doses are available. Private clinics may also stock HPV vaccines at a cost; ask which product and how many doses they recommend for her age. Other vaccines for school-age children include the typhoid conjugate vaccine, and checking the card is also a good moment to confirm measles doses (see khasra in children). More on children’s vaccinations and health is in Bachon Ki Sehat.
HPV vaccine: parents ask
What are the side effects of the HPV vaccine?
The common ones are a sore, red arm, mild fever, headache, tiredness and nausea, usually gone in a day or two. Serious allergic reactions are rare.
Does the HPV vaccine cause infertility?
No. Safety monitoring has found no evidence that HPV vaccines cause fertility problems, and preventing cervical cancer helps protect future fertility.
At what age is the HPV vaccine given in Pakistan?
The national programme offers it to girls aged 9 to 14, with plans to give it routinely to 9-year-old girls.
Is the HPV vaccine halal?
That is a question for a religious scholar. On the health side, it is WHO-prequalified and used in many Muslim-majority countries, and Pakistan’s health ministry has endorsed it.
Why is the HPV vaccine only for girls in Pakistan?
The programme targets cervical cancer, the most common HPV-linked cancer, so girls are prioritised. Some countries also vaccinate boys.
Can boys get the HPV vaccine?
HPV vaccines are used in boys in some countries. In Pakistan the free programme is for girls; ask a private clinic or doctor about boys.
Where can I get the HPV vaccine?
Through school vaccination teams during campaigns, at EPI centres and government hospitals, or privately at some clinics.
Is one dose of HPV vaccine enough?
For healthy girls aged 9 to 14 in Pakistan’s programme, yes, one dose is given. Girls with weakened immunity may need two or three doses.
Can the HPV vaccine cause cancer or HPV?
No. It contains no live virus or viral DNA, so it cannot cause infection or cancer.
Does my daughter still need Pap smears later?
Yes. The vaccine prevents most, not all, cervical cancers, so adult screening is still recommended.