International experts train vaccination focal persons in Sindh

Immunisation experts from Unicef have urged the vaccination focal persons, lady health workers and immunisation staff to strengthen routine vaccination in the province try to reach out to each and every child and convince parents to get their children vaccinated against vaccine-preventable diseases.

Speaking at a three-day training workshop for vaccination focal persons, officials of the Expanded Program on Immunisation (EPI) Sindh and experts from the Unicef headquarters in Nepal, including Dr Azhar Abid Raza, advised the vaccinators to reach out to the maximum number of parents and children for the eradication of vaccine-preventable diseases.

The workshop was organised by the EPI in Sindh in collaboration with Unicef in Hyderabad and it was addressed by Director General Health Sindh Dr Jumman Bahoto, Project Director EPI Dr Irshad Memon, Dr Muhammad Johar, Dr Aftab Khuwaja and Atiya Qazi from Unicef.

Dr Bahoto said the training workshop for the focal persons and other staff of the EPI was aimed at equipping them with knowledge and training to increase the routine immunisation in the province.

He hoped that EPI staff would work for the improving vaccine coverage in the province.

Project Director EPI Dr Irshad Memon said they were conducting several activities in connection with World Immunisation Week 2022 and the training workshop was also part of the awareness and training workshops to increase the routine immunisation in the province.

Dr Bahoto maintained that they had conducted a successful vaccination drives against measles and rubella to contain their outbreaks in the peak season. He added that now 12 vaccines were part of the national immunisation program, which could prevent children from catching deadly diseases.

Expressing concern over the emergence of polio cases in formal tribal areas of the country, Dr Bahoto said that without strengthening routine immunisation, the dream of polio eradication could not be achieved. He said vaccinators associated with the EPI would play an important role in protecting children from death and disability.