VOICES OF RESISTANCE: A QUALITATIVE STUDY ON PARENTAL HESITANCY TOWARD POLIO VACCINATION IN KPK

Abstract

This qualitative research explores parental resistance to polio vaccination in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan—one of the few remaining regions still battling poliovirus despite over a decade of eradication efforts by the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), WHO, and UNICEF. Although significant progress has been made, many parents continue to resist vaccination campaigns. Through purposive sampling, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents from both urban and rural areas. Thematic analysis revealed five key factors behind this resistance: religious and cultural beliefs, distrust in government and healthcare providers, widespread misinformation and conspiracy theories, influence of family and community leaders, and fear of vaccine side effects. Parents often view polio vaccination as part of a foreign agenda, driven by religious myths, fertility concerns, and past negative experiences with healthcare. Fathers, as primary decision-makers, are heavily influenced by religious authorities and peers, while mothers, though concerned, usually defer to male authority. A lack of effective health education and culturally relevant outreach, combined with social media-driven misinformation, further fuels vaccine hesitancy. The study highlights the need for a gender-sensitive approach, involving both male and female community influencers, trust-building initiatives, and locally grounded awareness campaigns to improve vaccine acceptance in the region.