Pakistan Extends Cervical Cancer Vaccination Drive Amid Parental Hesitancy
Islamabad – Pakistan’s nationwide campaign to vaccinate girls against cervical cancer is being extended after significant parental resistance slowed progress.
During the anti-cervical cancer drive, over 3.6 million parents across the country refused the HPV vaccine for their daughters. Punjab recorded the highest number of refusals, with 2.56 million parents declining the vaccine. Sindh reported 854,150 refusals, Azad Kashmir 156,868, and Islamabad 68,768.
Despite these challenges, the campaign successfully vaccinated more than 7.7 million girls. The original target was to reach 11.7 million girls nationwide.
Launched on September 15, the historic HPV vaccination drive – the first of its kind in Pakistan – was initially scheduled to run until September 27. The government has now decided to extend the campaign after provincial reports indicated that vaccination targets were not being met.
Provincial authorities are taking steps to prolong the drive:
Sindh has extended its campaign by three days, now running until September 30.
Islamabad is considering a three- to seven-day extension.
Punjab and Azad Kashmir are also expected to extend their campaigns within the same timeframe.
Officials emphasize that the HPV vaccination is a critical measure to prevent cervical cancer, and efforts are being intensified to reach as many girls as possible.
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