KARACHI: Highligh­ting the Sindh government’s efforts at an event organised on Tuesday, Provincial Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho said that immunisation was not merely a medical necessity but a fundamental right of every child and that vaccines were the strongest shield against disability and death.

She was speaking at an event held in connection with the Immunisation Week 2026 at the SMB Fatima Jinnah Government School. The attendees included government officials, international partners and representatives of civil society.

“Vaccines are our strongest shield against disability and death. Our mission is to ensure that every child in Sindh — whether living in the high-rise buildings of Karachi or in a remote village of Tharparkar — is protected from preventable diseases,” she said.

The health minister emphasised that immunisation was not merely a medical necessity but a fundamental right of every child.

The government, she pointed out, has adopted innovative approaches to reach children, particularly “zero-dose children”.

“Birth doses are being ensured immediately after delivery in major hospitals. To facilitate working parents, vaccination centres are now offering services during evenings and weekends,” she said, adding that attention was also being given to basic nutrition to support healthy child development.

At the event, the minister also announced a major polio booster campaign scheduled from May 11 to May 24. She urged schools, community leaders and parents to demonstrate the same enthusiasm for the campaign as seen during the World Immunisation Week.

Dr Pechuho expressed her gratitude to Shehzad Roy and Zindagi Trust for integrating health awareness into the education system. She also appreciated the tireless efforts of international partners and the field teams of the EOC Sindh.

“All vaccines are being provided free of cost by the government, but the responsibility ultimately lies with guardians. I urge parents and teachers to become “vaccine champions”. Together, we can eliminate measles, polio and pneumonia from our land,” she concluded.

According to health department officials, the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) Sindh has achieved record progress; routine immunisation coverage has reached a historic level of 80 per cent; Penta-1 coverage has exceeded 95pc; BCG coverage has surpassed 90pc; vaccination services are now directly accessible to 91pc of the population, and routine immunisation coverage is now 80pc.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2026