Health worker assaulted during HPV drive in Mandi Bahauddin

A lady health worker was attacked in Chak No 38, Mandi Bahauddin, during the ongoing HPV vaccination campaign. The incident took place on Thursday while a team was vaccinating schoolgirls.

A lady health worker was attacked in Chak No 38, Mandi Bahauddin, during the ongoing HPV vaccination campaign. The incident took place on Thursday while a team was vaccinating schoolgirls.

Ghulam Sughra, a member of the vaccination team, said she was working at an elementary school when a woman named Parveen, along with 15 others, attacked her. Parveen reportedly threw her to the ground and punched her. The other women joined in, beating and insulting her.

The health worker filed a complaint at Kuthiala Sheikhan Police Station. Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) under Sections 186 (obstructing a public servant) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code. However, no arrests have been made yet.

SHO Sabir Hussain Sindhu confirmed the incident and said investigations are underway.

This attack comes during a major nationwide HPV vaccination campaign, which began on September 17 and will run until September 27. The campaign aims to protect girls aged 9 to 14 from cervical cancer by vaccinating them against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV).

In Phase 1, the drive is covering Punjab, Sindh, Islamabad, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Phase 2 will begin in 2026 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while Phase 3 will reach Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan in 2027.

The government hopes to vaccinate 90% of girls in Phase 1 areas by the end of 2025. The vaccine was first introduced in Pakistan in 2022.

Despite strong planning, health teams are facing hurdles. Vaccine hesitancy remains a big issue. Misinformation, fear, and mistrust have led to resistance in some communities.

Still, officials say the campaign will continue, and efforts are being made to address public concerns and ensure safety for health workers.