Wisal Yousafzai
PESHAWAR: Director General Health Services Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Dr. Ayub Rose has said that this is the prime responsibility of every parent to immunize their children on Immunization Week.
This he said on Monday in sensitization session with Media here in a local hotel on Monday, Dr. Ayub Rose said that Immunization is one of the most powerful and cost effective of all health intervention, adding that the Expanded Program on Immunization is providing free of cost vaccination against preventable disease.
He further added that the government is ensuring supply of vaccines against ten deadly diseases across the province and has made tremendous progress in saving the lives of most vulnerable children.
The World Immunization Week is observed across the world from 24th to 30th April as the EPI in collaboration with Polio eradication initiative is coordinating various awareness and public engagement program across KP.
The Global Theme for this year is “ Protected Together “, Vaccine Work and encourage three tiers of stakeholders including donors , health workers and the public to improve immunization coverage across the province.
EPI director Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Akram Shah said that the health department is committed as well as the health workers and vaccinator to reach every child for vaccination.
He further added that in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa around 71 % children were immunized, adding that the vaccinator through MIS system fully cover all the area.
He added that already it has been notified to deputy commissioners of the entire district to take part in the immunization week and the entire administrative department as well different session will organized in academia to sensitize students as well as parents on the importance of immunization.
He added that some district like Thorghar, Tank and other areas where the immunization campaigns is low because of the inaccessibility but the health department and the concern DC and vaccinator will focus on those areas to fully immunized children there.
He further added that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government spending around Rs.8 million while GAVI providing them Rs.18 million for vaccination campaign, adding that KP government is serious to vaccinate and immunized all children across the province.
Earlier HUMA from EPI while giving presentation said that Pakistan is the riskiest place for newborn mortality as in 1000 babies born in Pakistan in 2016 , 46 were died before the end of one month, adding that in 22 babies one died because of the poor immunization in the country.
She further said that Kohistan is on the bottom in the immunization but because of the lack LHWs and vaccinator while Lakki Marwat, Torgher , Bannue and Shangla were the district where the immunization is low but the health department is focusing on these district to improve the routine immunization.
She added that Media can play an important role to create awareness among the parent for immunization, adding that it is our prime responsibility to immunized all children and protect our children from disease and give them a health environment.
