LAHORE: The Provincial Governor today [Aug 17] amended the West Pakistan Vaccination Ordinance 1959, making it binding on every local authority or the smallpox eradication officers to vaccinate all persons and children in their jurisdiction. The amending Ordinance, called the West Pakistan Vaccination (Amendment) Ordinance 1969, has been enforced with immediate effect and extends to the whole province except the Tribal Areas.

Under the new Ordinance every newly-born child will have to be vaccinated after the age of six months and before the age of one year. After the vaccination, a memorandum will be delivered to the guardian or parent of the concerned child stating the date of vaccination and the date on which the child is to be inspected to ascertain the result of the vaccination.

If the child is found in a state unfit for vaccination, a certificate showing that the child is unfit for the whole or part of the current vaccination season shall have to be given by the inspecting vaccinator. The vaccinator will also give a date on the certificate on which the child is to be produced for revaccination. The Ordinance also requires the guardian or parent of a vaccinated child to take the child to a vaccinator on the date prescribed in the memorandum for inspection. — Agency

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2019