The Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), Sindh has introduced Rotavirus Vaccine in routine immunization schedule of the EPI, in a ceremony held at EPI Office on Friday, 30th March ‘2018.
Sindh Secretary Health Dr. Fazlullah Pechuho, administrated the rotavirus vaccine to children and announced induction of vaccine in routine immunization. He said that Diarrhea is a leading cause of death in children. Statistics show that in Sindh, around 50% deaths in children below the age of five, occur due to diarrhea and other related gastroenteritis diseases.
He stated that, inclusion of rotavirus vaccine in routine immunization schedule will significantly reduce the burden of this common yet deadly disease amongst children, under the age of five. He further informed that rotavirus is the 10th vaccine, which was launched by EPI in the province of Sindh.
Fayaz Jatoi, Coordinator, Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) for Polio, Sindh said that cancer cases were being reported in the world due to wrong administration of vaccine but, it is not right to avoid vaccinations, entirely. He explained that human error leads to death of a child but, vaccinations save thousands of lives annually. He advised all the parents to vaccinate their children, who are currently under the age of five, to combat all such diseases.
According to the health secretary, if the rotavirus vaccine is given to the children properly by maintaining its cold chain, and with honesty and dedication by the EPI staff, lives of thousands of children can be saved, and one day these children would become doctors, engineers, government officials or even the prime minister of Pakistan.
EPI Chief Dr. Aga Ashfaq said the rotavirus vaccine was the 10th vaccine that had been included in the routine vaccination program the province, saying that children would have two doses of the rotavirus vaccine in the 6th and 10th week of their lives. He said diarrhoea was the major cause of deaths of children along with pneumonia in Sindh, but from now onwards, vaccines to prevent children from pneumonia and diarrhea had also been included in the routine vaccination programme.
Associate Professionf of Pediatric at DUHS & General Secretary PPA – Sindh, Dr. Khalid Shafi said they were delighted that the rotavirus vaccine which cost thousands of rupees had been included in the EPI, and urged parents to vaccinate their children against preventable diseases.
Manager EPI Sindh Dr. Agha Ishfaq, Director General Health Dr. Akhlaq Ahmed Khan, Director Health Karachi Dr. Tahir Aziz Sheikh, Prof Jamal Raza, Dr. Khalid Shafi, Manager Nutrition Program Dr. Zahoor Baloch, Dr. Iqbal Chandio, Aziz Memon, Shareefa Akhter, Dr. Sohail Soomro, Abid Hasan and others were present at this ceremony to introduce this vaccine and spread awareness on the importance of immunization.
