Islamabad: Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal has criticised United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for failing to counter public misconceptions about vaccines despite spending millions of dollars on awareness campaigns.
The criticism came during a high-level meeting chaired by the minister and attended by the federal health secretary, the director general of health, and the director general of the Federal Directorate of Immunisation.
The meeting reviewed expenditures on vaccine awareness initiatives and assessed their real impact.
Expressing dissatisfaction, Mustafa Kamal said that negative public perceptions regarding vaccines persist despite substantial financial investments.
He noted that the primary objective of such campaigns was to reduce vaccine hesitancy and promote positive attitudes, but the desired outcomes had not been achieved.
“Millions of dollars have been spent, yet there has been no significant reduction in misconceptions about vaccines,” he said, terming the situation a matter of serious concern.
The minister stressed the need to counter anti-vaccine propaganda to restore public confidence in immunisation programmes.
He emphasised that funds spent in Pakistan’s name carry immense responsibility and must be utilised transparently and effectively.
He further stated that several meetings had already been held on the matter, underscoring the need for result-oriented actions. Mustafa Kamal directed officials to formulate a comprehensive strategy to rebuild public trust in vaccines, ensuring transparency, accountability, and measurable outcomes.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to public health, the minister said that effective utilisation of funds could bring about meaningful change and help eliminate negative perceptions surrounding vaccination.