Islamabad : The District Health Office Islamabad Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination in collaboration with Unicef, World Health Organisation (WHO), Federal Directorate of Immunisation and several other organisations arranged a pompous and colourful ‘Run & Ride’ event at F-9 Park here on Saturday.
The main purpose of this event was ‘Celebrating Lifesaving Milestones’. The District Health Office (DHO) celebrated ‘World Immunisation Week’ from April 24 to 30. Another title of this event was ‘Vaccinates for Pakistan’. The event was based on healthy activities in which general public and DHO staff members participated in bicycle rally and running competition which made the event colourful and beautiful on the occasion. The residents of federal capital Islamabad participated in the event with full zeal and fervour.
Coordination Health, Secretary Health, DG Health, Deputy Commissioner, Islamabad and several other high ranking officials were participated in the event. The World Immunisation Week celebrated in the last week of April every year. It aims to highlight the collective action needed to promote the use of vaccines to protect people against diseases.
This year’s theme ‘The Big Catch-up’ urges greater engagement around immunization globally to promote the role of vaccines in improving the health and well-being of everyone, everywhere. In their messages the participants urged parents to vaccinate their children against 12 deadly diseases before the age of two. The ultimate goal of the week is to protect more children from vaccine-preventable diseases and raise awareness about the value of vaccines, they added.
The government of Pakistan is committed to ensuring safe and effective vaccines are available and delivered to every child, including those in vulnerable and remote communities, the participants further said. District Health Officer (HDO), Islamabad Dr Zaeem Zia thanked all participants and expressed gratitude to frontline health workers for their tireless efforts in achieving this goal.
He said that the government is dedicated to ensuring that vaccination registration and availability reach 100 per cent to guarantee the success of the immunisation initiative. Frontline workers play an essential role in facilitating vaccination in remote and disadvantaged areas, and the government is undertaking all necessary measures to keep the public safe from diseases and epidemics, he added. District Health Officer (DHO) also thanked all staff members and general public to participate in the event.