Why has Pakistan’s HPV vaccine campaign faced a backlash?
Summary
In September, Pakistan started a national campaign to vaccinate girls aged 9 to 14 against HPV, a virus linked to cervical cancer. Despite plans to protect over 13 million girls, the campaign has faced resistance due to misinformation and conspiracy theories about vaccines. The WHO and Pakistan's government have partnered to train health workers and provide the single-dose vaccine for free.Key Facts
- Pakistan launched its first national HPV vaccine campaign in September.
- The campaign targets girls aged 9 to 14 to prevent cervical cancer.
- HPV is a virus that can lead to cervical cancer, affecting many in Pakistan.
- The campaign experienced resistance due to conspiracy theories about vaccines.
- WHO trained 49,000 female health workers in Pakistan to administer the vaccine.
- The vaccine used in the campaign is Cecolin, a single-dose HPV vaccine developed in China.
- The first phase of the campaign included Sindh, Punjab, Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and the Islamabad Capital Territory.
- The campaign was extended slightly from its original end date of September 27 to October 1.
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