Unicef hands over mobile vehicles to FDI

Islamabad: Special Secretary Health Mirza Nasirud Din Mashhood Ahmad on Monday welcomed the Unicef’s move to provide seven 4x4 vehicles to the Federal Directorate of Immunisation, saying it will help overcome accessibility challenges in hard-to-reach areas, ensuring quality immunisation services in remote regions of KP, Balochistan, GB, and AJK.

He added that vaccination of children was one of the top priority agenda of Prime Minister of Pakistan. A formal ceremony for the handover of those vehicles took place at the FDI. Mashood expressed gratitude to Unicef and GAVI for their vital role in supporting the procurement of vehicles and enhancing immunisation outreach.

He encouraged donors and partners, GAVI and Unicef, to maintain momentum and explore new strategies for further improving immunisation coverage. Director General of Health/FDI Dr. Shabana Saleem emphasised the importance of ensuring vaccines reach every child, no matter how remote their location. She said those vehicles would strengthen our outreach capacity and help ensure that every child has equitable access to life-saving vaccines. Dr Shabana said the government firmly believed that where children remain unvaccinated, both their lives and the health of their communities are at risk.

"The FDI is relentlessly working to vaccinate every child against the 12 targeted vaccine-preventable diseases, ensuring that no community is left behind," she said. Dr. Gunter Boussery, Chief of Health, OIC Deputy Representative, Unicef, echoed the sentiment, noting, “We are honoured to contribute to this collective effort to serve Pakistan’s underserved communities.” He said Unicef was committed to enhancing immunisation services across Pakistan. "These vehicles symbolise our collective efforts to bridge gaps and serve the most underserved communities. Unicef, with financial backing from GAVI and other donors, is extending critical technical assistance to the Federal Directorate of Immunisation and provincial EPI programmes," he said. Dr. Gunter Boussery said the partnership addressed workforce and programmatic gaps, ensuring the seamless execution of immunisation initiatives. He said the seven single-cabin vehicles will bolster EPI outreach in underserved and remote union councils across Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu, and Kashmir. "These mobile clinics will deliver essential immunisation services, guaranteeing equitable access for all communities."