KARACHI, Oct 16: The Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI, Sindh) in collaboration with UNICEF, has initiated a strategy to enhance the existing 48 per cent routine coverage of local pregnant women against tetanus.
Dr Shamsunisa Ansari, Director, EPI-Sindh talking to APP here on Wednesday, attributed the low coverage to the acute shortage of vaccinators, as well as inadequate logistics facilities at the disposal of the provincial EPI.
The shortcoming has only recently been addressed with the support of (the) Global Alliance for Vaccine Immunization, she said.
In this context, she also mentioned posts created for 700 vaccinators in Sindh after seeking a special concession in the ongoing ban on fresh recruitment in the government sector.
According to her, the interviews of applicants are presently being conducted, and inductions would be finalized by the end of the current month.
Dr Shamsunisa Ansari particularly called upon the community leaders to create a demand for vaccination against preventable diseases.
To a query regarding the maximum involvement of traditional birth attendants administering 80 per cent of deliveries in Sindh, Dr Ansari mentioned that lady health workers are turning into an important asset for the efforts to combat diseases, and are also being utilized to seek access to these traditional birth attendants to teach them the three basic principles.
These were adequate antenatal care, clean delivery and application of fresh and properly sterilized apparatus for chord removal.
With regard to the recently concluded round of the supplementary immunization campaign on Maternal Neonatal Tetanus (MNT), she said the coverage rate has been estimated to be 85 per cent. 3.5million women belonging to high risk areas were to be vaccinated during the six day activity (Sept 23-28).
Dr Ansari acknowledging complaints regarding certain side effects of vaccines which she hastily added were not serious in Saddar Town, and said these may be due to inappropriate administration of the vaccine, which has to be deep.
The EPI director said that no negative report or complaint has been received from any other part of the province. She also mentioned that the next round, which would be the second round of MNT phase two, is tentatively scheduled for Dec 16 to 21, during which again the target of 3.5million women would be attempted to be met.
The third round of MNT phase two is planned to take place after another six months, in June 2003.
