ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s first-ever vaccination campaign against cervical cancer is underway, targeting millions of girls aged 9 to 14.
The drive, launched on September 15, has faced challenges in the form of false rumours and misinformation, with social media spreading claims of adverse side effects and even infertility linked to the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.
To combat these misconceptions, Pakistan’s Health Minister, Mustafa Kamal, took the unusual step of having his own daughter vaccinated live on television at the weekend.
ایچ پی وی ویکسین کے خلاف تمام منفی پروپیگنڈے کا دروازہ بند!
وفاقی وزیرِ صحت سید مصطفیٰ کمال نے اپنی بیٹی کو ویکسین لگوا کر پوری قوم کو یقین دلا دیا:
‘اگر یہ نقصان دہ ہوتی تو کیا ہم اپنے ہی بچوں کو لگواتے؟’
اس عمل کے بعد پاکستان میں پروپیگنڈے کی کوئی گنجائش باقی نہیں رہی۔ pic.twitter.com/XcAoKRFd07— Ministry of National Health Services, Pakistan (@nhsrcofficial) September 20, 2025
The gesture was intended to reassure parents and encourage them to trust the safety of the vaccine.
“No Pakistani mother, sister, or daughter should refuse this vaccine because of false propaganda and then lose her life as a result,” Kamal stated at a press conference following the televised inoculation.
Health experts, including those from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF, have consistently emphasised that the typical side effects of the HPV vaccine are mild and temporary, such as arm soreness or a brief fever.
Scientific evidence
There is no scientific evidence to support claims that the vaccine causes infertility.
Pakistan became the 151st country to administer the HPV vaccine, joining 150 other nations, many of which are Muslim-majority countries, where the vaccine has been safely used, the health minister said.
The vaccine is recommended by the WHO for adolescent girls to prevent cervical cancer, a disease caused by persistent infections with high-risk HPV types.
According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, Cervical cancer remains a major health concern in Pakistan, with an estimated 4,762 new cases and 3,069 deaths in 2023 alone.
