MANSEHRA: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department has sought the support of clerics and religious scholars from all schools of thought to raise public awareness about vaccinating young girls against cervical cancer.

Ahead of a cervical cancer awareness and vaccination campaign scheduled to run from Nov 11 to 24 across the district, the Mansehra Health Department organised seminars and meetings in Mansehra, Balakot, Oghi and Baffa-Pakhal tehsils.

Clerics attending the events pledged to raise awareness about the importance of vaccination through Friday sermons and other religious gatherings. They also urged parents to get their daughters, aged between nine and 14, vaccinated against the disease.

“Raising awareness about cervical cancer is part of our religious duty to save human lives and is a great act of worship. We stand with the Health Department and will encourage people to come forward to protect their daughters against this disease,” a religious scholar said at a seminar in Oghi on Sunday.

The seminar was also addressed by District Coordinator for the Cervical Cancer Campaign Dr Idrees and District Coordinator of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) Dr Adnan.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Idrees said social mobilisation was an integral part of any successful vaccination campaign.

“The role of clerics is very important in our society because communities listen to them. We are optimistic that their support will help us achieve the desired results in vaccinating young girls,” he said.

Dr Idrees said Deputy Commissioner Yasir Ali Khan and District Health Officer Dr Faisal Khanzada had also held meetings with clerics, educationists and other segments of society to ensure the success of the campaign.

“For the first time, female seminaries, along with public and private schools, are also being approached to vaccinate their female students against cervical cancer, and clerics are supporting us in this cause,” he said.

The district coordinator said around 106,000 girls across the district would be vaccinated by 154 teams deployed in all 59 union councils. Around 90 per cent of the team members would be female staff.

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2026