Pakistan’s first nationwide HPV vaccine campaign, launched to protect millions of young girls from cervical cancer, has been overshadowed by widespread misinformation and parental resistance.
Health officials had set out to inoculate 11 million girls, but by the campaign’s conclusion only half of the intended doses had been administered.
Parents across the country slammed their doors on health workers, schools closed in protest, and social media platforms became hotbeds of misleading claims that the HPV vaccine causes infertility, disrupts hormones, and even encourages premarital sexual activity in a conservative society where sex before marriage is strictly forbidden.
Misinformation Fuels Infertility Fears
Misinformation about the HPV vaccine quickly took hold. Conspiracy theories long circulating in Pakistan resurfaced, including the belief that Western-produced vaccines are tools to reduce Muslim populations. Others claimed the vaccine could “control the population” by leaving girls infertile.
“In reality, our daughters are being made infertile,” declared Rashid Mehmood Soomro, a prominent religious party leader, at a rally in Karachi. His comments, widely circulated online, amplified existing infertility fears and encouraged communities to resist the campaign.
Health Workers Face Hostility on the Ground
Frontline vaccinators reported hostility during door-to-door visits. “Some people have refused, closed their gates on us, and even hid information about their daughter’s age,” said Karachi-based vaccinator Ambreen Zehra. For her team, the HPV vaccine drive turned into a struggle against distrust as much as disease.
In Rawalpindi, one teacher admitted that not a single vaccine had been administered in her school because parents refused consent. In some rural areas, private schools even shut their doors for days to keep vaccinators away.
Social Media and Misleading Videos
The spread of vaccine misinformation was accelerated by viral social media posts. Old footage of schoolgirls collapsing after teargas exposure during protests years earlier was re-shared as supposed evidence of adverse reactions to the HPV vaccine. The misleading clips ignited panic, and uptake dropped sharply after the first day of the campaign.
Islamabad’s top health official, Syeda Rashida Batool, who began the campaign by publicly vaccinating her own daughter, recalled: “On the first day we reached 29 percent of our target, it was not good, but it was fine. The evening of that first day, videos started circulating online and after that it dipped. It all changed.”
Government Efforts to Rebuild Trust
Pakistan’s health ministry attempted to counteract misinformation by highlighting global research on the HPV vaccine. Approved by the World Health Organization and used in more than 150 countries, the vaccine is proven to prevent cervical cancer, which is primarily caused by persistent infection with human papillomavirus.
To strengthen public confidence, Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal made a symbolic gesture by vaccinating his teenage daughter on live television. “In my 30-year political career I have never made my family public,” he said. “But the way my daughter is dear to me, the nation’s daughters are also dear to me, so I brought her in front of the media.”
The High Cost of Vaccine Misinformation
The consequences of vaccine misinformation are severe. Cervical cancer is one of the deadliest cancers for women in low- and middle-income countries, with UNICEF estimating that two-thirds of the 5,000 women diagnosed annually in Pakistan die of the disease.
Because of cultural taboos surrounding sexual health, poor screening systems, and limited treatment options, many cases go undetected until it is too late. Without widespread adoption of the HPV vaccine, thousands more lives are at risk each year.
Voices From Families and Communities
Resistance to the vaccine came from both urban and rural households. Maryam Bibi, a mother of three in Karachi, said: “My husband won’t allow it. It is being said that this vaccine will make children infertile. This will control the population.”
Others dismissed the vaccine as unnecessary. “All cancers are terrible,” said Humna Saleem, a 42-year-old housewife from Lahore. “Why don’t we tell our boys to be loyal to their wives instead of telling our girls to get more vaccines?”
These sentiments reflect a broader mistrust of health campaigns in Pakistan, where past resistance to polio vaccination also hindered eradication efforts.
Lessons From Global Success Stories
Globally, the HPV vaccine has been transformative in reducing cervical cancer rates. In Europe, where the vaccine has been widely adopted, there were around 30,000 cases across all 27 EU countries in 2020, with significantly improved survival rates compared to countries without comprehensive vaccination.
The contrast highlights how misinformation and parental resistance in Pakistan are preventing similar life-saving benefits from reaching its population.
Pakistan’s History of Vaccine Resistance
Pakistan remains one of only two countries, alongside Afghanistan, where polio is still endemic. Misinformation and conspiracy theories have repeatedly undermined eradication efforts. After celebrating a full year without polio in 2023, the disease has resurged, with 27 new cases reported in 2025.
The HPV vaccine campaign now risks facing a similar trajectory if trust is not rebuilt quickly. Public health officials warn that once misinformation becomes entrenched, it is far more difficult to reverse.
The Path Ahead
Despite setbacks, Pakistani officials say the campaign will continue. A federal health department spokesperson confirmed: “Many girls we aimed to reach are still unvaccinated, but we are committed to ensuring the vaccine remains available even after the campaign concludes so that more women and girls get vaccinated.”
For campaigners and health workers, the challenge is not just logistical but cultural — convincing families that the HPV vaccine protects rather than threatens their daughters.
Protecting Future Generations
The battle over the HPV vaccine in Pakistan is more than a public health campaign; it is a struggle against misinformation, infertility fears, and deeply rooted cultural taboos. While thousands of girls have been left unprotected due to parental resistance, officials and activists insist the fight for awareness is just beginning.
As the health minister’s televised gesture showed, leadership and transparency are critical. But without widespread acceptance of the science, Pakistan risks watching preventable cervical cancer deaths continue to climb — a tragedy fueled not by medicine, but by misinformation.
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