Qatar: The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) and Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), has added the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to Qatar’s National School Vaccination Campaign.

The programme will target more than 75,000 students in Grades 8, 9 and 10 across 301 government and private schools. The first phase will run from September 20 to November 18, 2026, followed by the second phase from April 25 to May 16, 2027.

The initiative aims to provide early protection against high-risk HPV types and reduce the future burden of HPV-related diseases and cancers.

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According to MoPH, the HPV vaccine is licensed and approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with hundreds of millions of doses administered globally. The ministry said the vaccine has an efficacy of more than 90%, while vaccination between ages 11 and 14 produces the strongest immune response.

Under the first phase, Grade 9 students will receive their first HPV vaccine dose. Grade 10 students in government schools will also receive a tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis booster for the final time this year. The second phase will provide the first HPV dose to Grade 8 students and the second dose to Grade 9 students, along with the relevant booster vaccination.

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Vaccination is optional and requires prior consent from a parent or guardian. Vaccines will be administered by school health teams in designated school health rooms under approved health regulations.