ISLAMABAD: As the ‘World Immunisation Week’ begins, Unicef has pledged its continued support to Pakistan to ensure all children are immunised and healthy.

“Vaccines are one of the most powerful tools to help children survive and thrive, and no child should miss on routine immunisation shots and polio drops even as we face the Covid-19 pandemic,” Unicef representative in Pakistan, Aida Girma, said in a statement on Friday.

The immunisation week — celebrated every year in the last week of April - aims to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease.

In Pakistan, the ‘World Immunisation Week’ is being celebrated under the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination. As a development partner, Unicef is providing technical support to the government to help every child have access to vaccines, including those living in hard-to-reach and marginalised communities, and improve health outcomes for all children.

Unicef Goodwill Ambassador and founder of the 7 Fund for Unicef, David Beckham, is fronting a global initiative to inspire confidence in vaccines and encourage parents to vaccinate their children against deadly diseases.

Says no child should miss on routine immunisation shots, polio drops even during Covid-19 pandemic

“In the last year, Covid-19 has shown us how much we take for granted but it has also reminded us about the power of vaccines,” said Beckham.

Referring to the current global situation of the Covid-19 pandemic, Unicef Executive Director Henrietta Fore said: “After a year of lockdowns, empty classrooms, missed vaccinations, virtual birthday parties, and cancelled family dinners, people all over the world are now getting a Covid-19 vaccine or anxiously awaiting the moment when they will. And it’s an important reminder of the critical role other vaccines play in allowing us to live our everyday lives.

“Whereas today we all know Covid-19 vaccines are the best hope we have of resuming our normal lives, what remains ‘normal’ for far too many children all over the world is no access to vaccines for any preventable diseases whatsoever. This is not a ‘normal’ to which we should return.”

Every year, 14 million infants and children globally do not receive any vaccines against preventable diseases with many living in remote rural locations, conflict zones or slum settings and without access to other essential health services. Pandemic-related lockdowns and supply disruptions have threatened a devastating rise in preventable child deaths.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2021