KARACHI, Oct 22: The Expanded Programme of Immunization, Sindh, is contemplating to enhance the regular duration of National Immunization Days and Sub-national Immunization Days from three to five days to help reduce its reliance on volunteers.

The director of EPI-Sindh, Dr Ansari, said on Monday that while the province registered 93 per cent coverage during the recently-concluded NIDs, yet it was felt that better coordination between the immunization teams could have produced a more improved coverage rate.

Since volunteers could not be held accountable for any delinquency on their part, it would be pertinent to keep EPI staffers involved during the entire process by extending the duration of the number of days from three to five.

Of the seven per cent children denied polio vaccines during the last immunization campaign, the EPI director held the parents equally responsible for the situation.

According to her, two per cent children could not be vaccinated due to refusal on part of the parents, while four per cent of the inmates were not available at their respective residences.

According to her, the scenario reflects a lack of understanding on part of a particular segment of society who have yet to realize that each and every child, below five years of age, has to be provided immunity against the crippling disease of polio, otherwise they would remain susceptible to it at any point in time, she stressed.

“The false sense of security on part of a particular segment of society that routine immunization and booster administered through private outlets offers 100 per cent protection has to be reconsidered,” she said, reminding that faulty sewerage lines are a potential source of spread of the virus, making necessary for across-the-board polio vaccination of all identified children.

Dr Ansari acknowledged that 0.5pc of the children could not be vaccinated during the said days owing to inability of the vaccination teams in reaching the relevant sites, which she attributed to certain lapse in micro-planning.

The EPI coordinator, however, in the same breath, said that the children left out during the exercise, planned initially for three days and latter extended by another two days, were provided with vaccines later on.—APP