PESHAWAR, Jun 27 (APP):A two-day Training of Trainers (ToT) session was organized to prepare health teams for the upcoming rollout of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, scheduled for November 2026 to protect adolescent girls from cervical cancer. The workshop equipped participants with evidence-based communication and community engagement strategies to address vaccine hesitancy, counter misinformation and strengthen public confidence in the HPV vaccine. "The hands-on learning sessions were …
Health workers trained to build community awareness ahead of HPV vaccine launch in KP
PESHAWAR, Jun 27 (APP):A two-day Training of Trainers (ToT) session was organized to prepare health teams for the upcoming rollout of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, scheduled for November 2026 to protect adolescent girls from cervical cancer.
The workshop equipped participants with evidence-based communication and community engagement strategies to address vaccine hesitancy, counter misinformation and strengthen public confidence in the HPV vaccine.
“The hands-on learning sessions were organized by Medical Emergency Resilience Foundation (MERF) in collaboration with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and MannionDaniels,” said Dr. Abdul Basit, Programme Manager MERF.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is preparing for the launch of HPV vaccination campaign while MERF is playing a leading role in demand generation and capacity building to ensure that communities understand, accept and actively seek the life-saving vaccine, he added.
This intervention is being executed in close partnership with KP Health Department and partner entities including Al-Khidmat Welfare Organization, Khagara Development Organization (KDO) and SABAWON.
Dr. Basit said the success of any vaccination campaign depends on community trust, awareness and well-trained frontline teams.
“Our goal is to ensure that no girl remains unprotected from cervical cancer and achieving this objective depends on the combined efforts of trained health workers and well-informed communities,” he said.
The training brought together frontline health workers, vaccinators and health communicators for intensive learning sessions focused on Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC).
Participants were trained in tailoring health messages to local contexts, cultures and community concerns to improve vaccine acceptance and uptake.
The workshop also focused on effective media engagement strategies, including the use of radio, social media and community platforms to disseminate accurate information about HPV vaccination.
A dedicated group exercise was conducted on identifying and countering misinformation surrounding HPV vaccines, enabling participants to effectively address myths and misconceptions within communities.
It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan launched the HPV vaccination programme in September 2025.
During the first phase, approximately 13 million girls aged 9 to 14 years were targeted for vaccination in Punjab, Sindh, Islamabad Capital Territory and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
The second phase, scheduled for November 2026, will expand coverage to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, targeting an estimated 3.2 million eligible girls.
In the third phase, planned for 2027, the programme will be extended to Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan, with around 1.4 million girls expected to benefit from the vaccine.
Dr. Basit said MERF has already demonstrated success in HPV vaccine implementation, having led the campaign across seven districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir in 2025.
“That experience is now shaping our approach in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with the same rigor, the same community-first mindset and an even stronger commitment to reaching every eligible girl in the province,” he said.
