KARACHI: 65pc children in Sindh yet to get polio vaccination
KARACHI, Aug 19: Only 35 per cent of the 1.3 million target population of children in Sindh, aged under one year, could be provided immunization cover in the first half of 2004
, which demands urgent steps to improve the situation.
Sindh project director of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), Nahid Jamali, speaking at a meeting held to review the exercise undertaken as the National Immunization Days (NIDs), from July 13 to 15, and to discuss strategy for the forthcoming NIDs, starting from Aug 24 to 26, reminded that envisaged target for the said period was 40 per cent.
It was mentioned at the meeting that some 1.4 million pregnant women would also be provided cover against tetanus under the immunization programme. To strengthen the programme across the province through making NIDs and SNIDs successful, she said it was necessary to strictly follow the EPI schedule.
Discussing the district and town-wise reported coverage under the programme, Ms Jamali underscored the need for improved performance, and said the province without any unnecessary delay had to attain the target of 80 per cent coverage by the end of this year.
Dr Hussain Bux Memon, Director General, Sindh Health department, expressed satisfaction over anti-polio drive in districts and towns across the province, which he claimed, managed to attain 95 per cent target through immunizing children under five during NIDs conducted last month.
He also cautioned health authorities against different town and district governments, which allegedly failed to achieve the set campaign targets, turning the entire exercise meaningless in their respective areas.
Dr Memon termed the current phase the most crucial in polio eradication, stressing that no child should be missed. He appealed to parents to ensure that their children had been contacted by vaccinating teams visiting their homes, and in case the teams could not reach them, they should take their children to the nearest EPI centre for administration of oral polio drops.
He also urged the parents to ensure that their children were administered all vaccines recommended under the EPI as per schedule, particularly during the first year of their lives.
The Unicef and WHO representatives on the occasion pledged to extend all possible support to make the NIDs scheduled for August 24 to 27 successful. Sindh Health Secretary Ashiq Hussain Memon, in his concluding remarks said the fight against polio was in its last stage, adding that with exception of few instances, the overall campaign was proving successful.
Reminding that till 1994, there were thousands of fresh polio cases occurring each year in Sindh alone, he claimed that during the last 10 years the number of such cases had shrunk to 11 to 12.
According to him, the immunization coverage rate against polio virus had increased from 70 per cent to above 95 per cent, which reflected that we were close to the final victory. To make the country a member of polio-free global club strong commitment was needed, he added. -APP
