KARACHI: Sindh health department has successfully accomplished the task of immunising more than 40 million children of 5 years and above age against the Coronavirus, besides containing Cholera outbreaks by administering oral vaccine to the vulnerable people.
Health and Population Welfare Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho said this during a media talk in connection with the World Immunisation Week.
She announced that the Sindh government, with the help of GAVI, would introduce HPV jabs for one million girls in the 9-14 years age group annually, protecting a large chunk of our female population from agony and death caused by cervical malignancy.
“We are well aware of the seriousness of the responsibility on our shoulders. We have a long way to go for achieving optimum gains,” she said.
She said Sindh has fully immunised 68 percent of its eligible children, while still more than 25pc of its children have never completed the prescribed schedule of vaccinations, and are marked as dropouts, while 5pc remained out of reach (Zero Dose).
She said this resulted in frequent incidence of viral diseases outbreaks and consequent morbidity and mortality which could be prevented by improving access of all people to vaccination facilities.
The minister said the health department is set to enhance the number of static, outreach and mobile outlets offering free of cost vaccination, while engagement of the private sector in the initiative is also being expanded.
“Your [media’s] support is requested to encourage parents to take their children to nearby [vaccination] facilities, particularly the newborns. Vaccines are safe and the best tool of disease prevention,” she said.
Dr Pechuho stressed that vaccination was the basic right of a child for protection against deadly diseases like measles, diphtheria etc.
She said under this year’s theme of World Immunisation Week -- Big Catch-up – that focuses on leftover children, “we have to reach each and every child for the purpose. Please disseminate this message through papers and electronic channels.”
Sindh health department has launched a province-wide awareness campaign for immunisation by holding public walks, seminars and other tools of advocacy.
Answering questions regarding surfacing of MonkeyPox cases in the country and steps being taken to curb the disease, Dr Pechuho said all public and private hospitals have been ordered to establish isolation wards. She added that surveillance, monitoring and screening had also been increased at airports to detect any suspected Monkeypox patient among the passengers of international flights.
The minister advised the media to refrain from spreading sensationalising and panic-causing news about the disease and added that anyone showing any symptom must be first tested for verification of the virus.
She said Monkeypox test kits had been provided to all hospitals free of cost and unless a private hospital had procured its own kits, all suspected patients should be provided free testing facilities.