The pneumococcal vaccine can help in reducing the number of children suffering from pneumonia, a disease that is responsible for the death of thousands of children in Balochistan. This was stated by Dr. Kalimullah, Mayor Quetta while addressing a group of councilors at the Quetta Metropolitan Office.
In line with the World Children’s Day, the Balochistan Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) devoted the entire month of November to activities of advocacy with the various stakeholders in Quetta. In this regard a series of Advocacy Sessions was arranged involving representatives from local government, civil society, media organisation and selected parliamentarians – was held as part of the weeklong activities linked to the World Children’s Day.
The aim of the advocacy sessions was to accelerate and improve the uptake of routine Immunization for children in Pakistan in general and Balochistan in particular. It provided the stakeholders the latest information on challenges related to low Immunization coverage in the province with special focus on Quetta.
He stressed the need to spread awareness, and said that unless all caregivers, including mother, father and grandparents, were fully convinced of the importance of the vaccine and ensured their children were immunized against all childhood diseases, the efforts being made by the government, Gavi and other UN partners to reduce under-five mortality rate would not be useful.
Immunization is one of the most important advances in public health and it has saved more lives in the world than any other health intervention. Nevertheless, due to low coverage in the country, vaccine-preventable diseases still result in significant costs to individuals and society in Pakistan. Almost three million children miss out on a full course of routine childhood Immunization every year in Pakistan, leaving them vulnerable to life-threatening diseases.
He informed that Immunization coverage rates across the country vary widely, with some districts seeing very few children protected against diseases such as diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, measles and pneumonia. With only 16% fully immunized children, Balochistan holds the lowest position amongst the four provinces. Major reasons behind the alarming situation are an inadequate allocation of financial and human resources to the EPI program, management of the program at the provincial and district level, non-availability of data regarding the population figures, vaccine availability, storage/handling and above all awareness and willingness of the people to get their children vaccinated.
Dr. Ishaq Panezai, EPI Provincial Coordinator said that the local government representatives can play an effective role in communicating that the vaccines were available for every child in Balochistan free of charge. It would cost Rs32,000 to fully immunize a single kid otherwise. The vaccine is being delivered through a partnership between the government of Pakistan and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance that supports and finances vaccines in different countries, including Pakistan.
He further said that parents need to be motivated to bring their children to the EPI Centre. There is need to communicate that these vials cannot travel long distances as they lose their efficacy if temperature is not maintained, and when a vial is opened, it is used for five to 20 children.
