PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Health Khaliq-ur-Rehman on Monday reaffirmed the provincial government’s commitment to strengthening preventive healthcare and improving public health outcomes.
He renewed the pledge as he met a delegation from Jhpiego, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University, to discuss parliamentary engagement for cervical cancer prevention through Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and preparations for the upcoming HPV vaccination programme in the province.
According to a communication, the Jhpiego Pakistan delegation was led by Country Director Dr Aminah Khan. Dr Syed Ijaz Ali Shah, Chief of the Health Sector Reforms Unit (HSRU), also attended the meeting. He shared perspectives on provincial health-sector priorities and implementation strategies.
The discussion focused on engaging Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs) ahead of the cervical cancer prevention campaign through HPV vaccination planned for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in November this year.
The minister proposed holding a dedicated orientation session at the Provincial Assembly to brief parliamentarians on cervical cancer prevention, HPV vaccination and their role in supporting informed public awareness and community engagement.
The proposed session would provide parliamentarians with accurate and evidence-based information to help them respond to questions and misconceptions around HPV vaccination and support informed dialogue within their constituencies.
The minister contacted the Secretary of the Provincial Assembly during the meeting to facilitate engagement with parliamentarians and arrangements for the proposed orientation. Dr Aminah Khan briefed the minister on Jhpiego’s ongoing work in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including its coordination with government counterparts and technical support for HPV programme implementation.
The discussion also explored opportunities for Jhpiego to support the provincial government in strengthening implementation mechanisms, operational coordination and community engagement at the provincial and district levels.
Dr Aminah Khan said meaningful engagement of parliamentarians could help strengthen public understanding and confidence ahead of the campaign. “Parliamentarians have significant reach and influence within their constituencies. Equipping them with accurate, evidence-based information can enable them to contribute meaningfully to public awareness, advocacy and community engagement around HPV vaccination,” she said.
The minister said: “Prevention is at the heart of a strong public health system. We need to ensure that our elected representatives are well informed and able to communicate accurate health information to the people they represent.”
The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and Jhpiego to work together to strengthen preparedness, public awareness and community engagement ahead of the HPV vaccination programme.
