60pc children in tribal areas and 39pc of children in settle districts miss out on completing EPI routine immunization course: UNICEF
PESHAWAR
The Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) Department of Health Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in collaboration with UNICEF and Pakistan Pediatric Association (PPA-KP), organized a seminar on Thursday, to celebrate World Immunization Week-2023.
The purpose of the event was to promote the importance of vaccination and create awareness among the people of KP. Director General Health Service Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr. Shukat Ali, was the chief guest of the seminar.
Dr. Ali emphasized the importance of vaccination in preventing diseases and saving lives. He also mentioned that the focus of the health department is to eliminate the polio virus from all parts of the province, including the merged districts.
DG Health highlighted the significance of routine immunization for children and urged parents to cooperate with the EPI teams and vaccinate their children against 12 diseases. Director EPI, Dr. Muhammad Arif Khan, spoke about the importance of immunization in preventing various diseases.
He urged parents to vaccinate their children on time and follow the recommended vaccination schedules.
The Director EPI also highlighted the efforts made by the EPI department to promote vaccination and increase awareness among the public.
He also praised the role of the media in positive coverage and highlighted the issues faced by the people. Dr. Arif requested the media to play a positive role in creating awareness among the public regarding the importance of vaccinations.
A well-known pediatrician, Dr. Muhammad Ashfaq Ahmad, spoke about the complications that children face when they are not vaccinated. He emphasized the importance of vaccination in preventing diseases and reducing the risk of complications. Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad also stressed the need for parents to vaccinate their children on time and follow the recommended vaccination schedules.
President of the Pakistan Pediatric Association KP Chapter, Dr. Muhammad Hussain, emphasized the role of pediatricians in supporting the health department in promoting vaccination. He spoke about the efforts made by pediatricians to raise awareness among parents and the public about the importance of vaccination. Dr. Hussain also discussed the challenges faced by pediatricians in promoting vaccination and the need for more support from the health department.
Dr. Kamran Qureshi from UNICEF highlighted the concerning statistics that 60 percent of children in tribal areas and 39pc of children in the rest of the districts miss out on completing the complete course of vaccination.
He emphasized that this is one of the main reasons why parents are not aware of the importance of vaccination, as well as due to the lack of parental time and having various doubts.
However, Dr. Kamran reassured parents that the vaccine is completely safe and effective in preventing deadly diseases. He requested the parents to prioritize their children’s health and ensure that they are vaccinated against these diseases, as it will secure their future and enable them to live a healthy and happy life.
Dr. Kamran also reiterated the importance of community engagement in promoting vaccination and raising awareness among the public about the benefits of routine immunization.
At the end of the seminar, Director General Health Services Dr. Shukat Ali and Director EPI distributed shields among the top-performing officers and staff.
The shields were awarded as recognition of their hard work and commitment towards promoting vaccination in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Overall, the speakers at the seminar emphasized the importance of vaccination and highlighted the efforts made by various stakeholders to promote routine immunization in the province.
