World Immunisation Week celebrated at RMU

Rawalpindi : World Immunisation Week was celebrated at Rawalpindi Medical University (RMU), says a press release.

Every year this week is celebrated in the last week of April. Pakistan Pediatric Association, Federal Branch and Rawalpindi Medical University jointly conducted various activities for the awareness of immunisation in children. Various webinars and sessions with students, parents and their children along-with doctors and paramedical staff were conducted.

Dr. Rai Asghar, who is Professor of Pediatrics and also President PPA Federal Branch, said that we can save lives of millions of children by doing in time immunisation. He said that in EPI programme vaccination is being given against 12 diseases including tuberculosis, polio, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B, Hib, pneumonia, rotavirus, typhoid and measles. Vaccination against rubella has also been approved. EPI vaccines are safe and very effective. Cold chain of the vaccines is maintained meticulously. Each vials has vaccine vials monitor. Vaccines can be safely given even in minor illnesses. Fever can be treated with paracetamol.

Dr. Rai Asghar further said that despite vaccine is free and available everywhere in EPI centers vaccination coverage is low. To increase vaccination coverage intensive awareness campaign should be started. In this connection doctors and paramedics can play a vital role. Other opinion leaders like members of national and provincial assemblies, teachers and imam masjid (prayer leader) can also play important role. We should talk to the parents and answers their concerns and misbelieves regarding vaccination. We must not even postpone or delay vaccination of children in this COVID pandemic. Now a days measles cases are coming up. Only unimmunised children are being affected. Two doses of measles vaccine is must to protect the child. Cases of pneumonia and diarrhoea are also at rises. Very effective vaccines against pneumococcal pneumonia and rota virus diarrhoea are included in EPI programme. Parents must get their children vaccinated as per schedule. If some vaccine is missed then that can be given at any time and previous doses are not wasted.