Together for Every Girl: Celebrating Sindh’s HPV Vaccination Journey

The Community Health Directorate of Indus Hospital & Health Network in collaboration with the Health Department, Government of Sindh, and partners, hosted “Together for Every Girl” in Karachi to mark the transition of HPV vaccination from a targeted campaign to routine immunization in Sindh.

This significant gathering brought together government representatives, partners, civil society organizations, and field teams to reflect on the campaign’s achievements, lessons, and the collective effort to reach girls and their families.

The event formally commenced with a recitation from the Holy Quran, which was immediately followed by opening remarks from Dr. Raj Kumar, Project Director, EPI Sindh, setting a collaborative context for the day’s discussions.

Soon after, Ms. Shamila Keyani, Program Manager, IHHN, and Mr. Kashif Manzoor, Project Manager, HPV, presented the HPV Campaign Journey & Key Achievements. This presentation was followed by the screening of a campaign video showcasing the dedication of the field teams on the ground.

Afterwards, during the Hear from the Field District Reflection/Experience Sharing segment, Professor Durre Samin Akram, Honorary Chairperson and President of HELP Pakistan, and Mr. Gulzar, District Coordinator, Naushehro Feroze, shared deep field experiences and community-level insights.

This was followed by a Reflecting on the Journey session that brought stakeholders together to discuss challenges, lessons learned, and priorities for the way forward. Immediately following this discussion, Dr. Raj Kumar and Huma Khawar, Strategic Advisor, CSO Engagement, MannionDaniels, shared government and partner perspectives on sustaining this progress.

To honor these collective efforts, tokens of appreciation and shields were distributed to recognize the contributions of frontline workers and stakeholders during the Together We Made It Possible segment.

Following the distribution of shields, the formal proceedings wrapped up with closing remarks from Dr. Mah Talat, Executive Director, CHD, IHHN, a group photograph, and a networking lunch.

This overall progress was made possible through the collective efforts of the Health Department, Government of Sindh; EPI, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, MannionDaniels; and Oxford Policy Management.

In her closing remarks, Dr. Mah Talat thanked the government, partners, field teams, and communities for their contributions, emphasizing that the momentum built through the campaign will continue through routine immunization.

Together, the journey continues towards protecting more girls across Sindh from cervical cancer.