Mustafa Kamal vaccinates daughter to counter HPV vaccine myths

In a powerful step to launch Pakistan’s national campaign against cervical cancer, Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal had his young daughter vaccinated with the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine at an event in Karachi on Saturday.

The minister personally accompanied his daughter during the vaccination and even marked her finger afterward as a symbol that she had been vaccinated.

Speaking at the ceremony, Kamal said Pakistan has now become the 151st country to start a nationwide effort to protect girls from cervical cancer. He admitted that the campaign faced backlash and misinformation, which is why he decided to lead by example.

“After the announcement of this campaign, there were misleading narratives and negative propaganda,” Kamal said. “To counter that, I decided to have my own daughter vaccinated — not just as a father, but as a message to the nation.”

He added that in his 30-year political career, he had never brought his family into the public eye before. “But this time, I wanted to set a new precedent — one that reinforces the importance of protecting every daughter in our country.”

Under the government’s plan, girls aged 9 to 14 will receive the HPV vaccine free of charge. The initiative aims to reduce the risk of cervical cancer, a preventable disease that remains a serious health concern for women in Pakistan.

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