KARACHI, May 10: Locally-born neonates are noticed to be turning increasingly vulnerable to tetanus-induced deaths around the country mainly due to unsafe delivery practices.
An estimated 22,000 infants are reported to die in the country each year due to Neonatal Tetanus. The situation is mainly attributed to reliance, particularly in rural areas, on traditional birth attendants, besides little surveillance at privately-run clinics, particularly in remote and suburban localities, with diminishing provision for application of adequately-sterilized equipments, leading to the disease.
Pakistan, along with Japan and India, are internationally reported to contribute 60 per cent of all NNT cases. Pakistan is also classified as one of the 15 ‘Class E’ countries where more than 50pc districts are at high risk for the disease and where the health infrastructure is limited and serious work force and logistic constraints are faced.
In the given situation, Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI-Sindh) plans to eliminate tetanus by the year 2005 under an elaborate programme, administering initially two and later five doses of tetanus toxoid to all women aged between 15 to 45 years.
EPI-Sindh sources said that the programme already launched in the province in July 2001, through the support of Japan International Cooperation Association, had its second round of tetanus toxoid immunization in Oct, last year, followed by another in March this year, with major emphasis on high-risk areas and pertaining to all such zones of Sindh.
Vaccines, which were previously recommended only for pregnant women, are now being administered across-the-board among all women in the child-bearing age, Dr Shamsunisa Ansari, Director, EPI-Sindh said, adding that 86pc coverage rate was registered during the previous round.
It may be reminded that WHO targets to reduce the rate by one death per 1,000 live births in Pakistan by the year 2005.
UNICEF, Save the Children Fund and Canadian International Development Association are also supporting EPI-Sindh in its vaccination campaign.
According to details, JICA is providing necessary funding for the procurement of vaccines, while UNICEF and CIDA will meet operational cost, and Save the Children Fund would bear the expenses for social mobilization.—APP
