Sadique); independent researcher (
S. Ali)
"[B]oth during the pandemic and in normal times, vaccination campaigns in low-resource settings face multiple challenges, especially when factors like (geo)politics are in play."
Vaccination encounters multiple context-specific challenges that substantially affect its uptake. Rumours and conspiracy theories have long been affecting vaccination programmes in Pakistan, where only 51% of children had all age-appropriate vaccinations as of 2019. In this country, socio-cultural, economic, and (geo)political factors significantly shape local perceptions around vaccine administration. Likewise, natural disasters and health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, impact immunisation endeavours by interrupting routine vaccination. Drawing on qualitative research, this article focuses on government responses to COVID-19 and their effects on vaccination programmes and on the myths and rumours that underlie local people's resistance to vaccination.