PESHAWAR, March 17: The World Health Organisation (WHO) in collaboration with the provincial health department has planned to strengthen the immunization programme in the province.
The WHO has been supporting the health department’s polio eradication programme since 1994. Since then polio cases have registered a decline, but now WHO is concerned about the ineffectiveness of the expanded programme on immunization.
Launched in 1976 in Peshawar and Nowshera as a pilot project, the expanded programme on immunization became a regular department in 1996 and is yet to deliver the desired result because of shortage of staff, administrative bottlenecks and lack of resources to meet the target.
“We are assisting the immunization programme because we are here to eradicate polio from the province, which is one of the eight diseases also covered under the expanded programme on immunization,” said a WHO official.
Repairing of equipment (such as refrigerators and cold boxes), continuous repairing and surveillance of cold chain and putting in place an alternative system of electricity, and insuring an uninterrupted supply of vaccines and syringes are being accorded top priority.
The number of fixed vaccination centres will be increased from the present 742 to 1,079 whereas 157 more technicians are being appointed under the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation programme in addition to 1,238 already in place.
The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation has already given 150 motorcycles and another 140 will be given shortly besides provision of 420 bicycles to the immunization programme to strengthen accessibility.
There are an estimated 800,000 new births every year, while the number of staff and centres has not been increased. The immunization programme has the services of only five per cent females, which is hindering efforts aimed at achieving the 80 per cent target set for 2008.
The official said: “We have started a six-month-training programme for lady health workers in at least seven districts to provide health education to mothers regarding the importance of the vaccination where breast feeding is concerned. Training will be imparted to 13,000 lady health workers who will then assist the immunization programme in 24 districts of the province.”
A WHO official said: “The overall coverage is reportedly 80 per cent but it is always suspicious. Technicians send false reports about the coverage.”
He said: “Now the problem is that the vaccinators do not have vehicles to reach inaccessible areas. There is also lack of awareness on the part of parents regarding the importance of vaccination.”
He said that the absenteeism of technicians, their concentration in only a few centres and politically-motivated transfers and appointments had been affecting the programme adversely.
Lack of electricity is the main problem in Fata where it was being planned to utilise kerosene and gas. Each of the centres will have two technicians: one to attend to children and pregnant women and another to carry out outstation activities.
The official said that the problem was more severe in Fata because there were no female technicians and when the males visited houses in the tribal areas they were beaten up by the people.