Karachi: In a significant move to boost child health and disease prevention, the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) Sindh, with support from UNICEF, organized a World Immunization Week event at Karwan-e-Hayat, Kemari.
Presiding over the event, Sindh Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho praised the EPI team's ongoing efforts, citing a recent third-party evaluation that places the province’s immunization coverage at 70%. She reaffirmed the government’s goal to raise this figure to over 90% through targeted interventions and sustained public engagement.
Acknowledging the seasonal spike in measles cases across the country, including Sindh, Dr. Pechuho noted that intensified response measures are underway. She outlined the achievements of the ongoing Big Catch-Up Campaign, sharing that 0.7 million children were vaccinated in the first round and 1.1 million in the second round, with a third phase in the pipeline.
The Health Minister also emphasized government-backed strategies to improve vaccine outreach, including the hiring of new vaccinators and the issuance of PSO fuel cards for improved field mobility. Urging parents to ensure complete immunization for their children, she called upon the media to amplify public health messaging during World Immunization Week.
EPI Sindh Program Director Dr. Raj Kumar welcomed the participants and shared milestones from the past year. “More than 7 million children were vaccinated in Sindh, the HPV vaccine was introduced in schools, and round-the-clock birth dose services were expanded,” he stated. He also highlighted the use of digital innovations like the Sindh Electronic Immunization Registry (SEIR), which enables real-time tracking to close immunization gaps.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Sohail Raza Shaikh, Additional Director EPI Sindh.
The session was well-attended by key stakeholders, including Dr. Wali Muhammad (DHO Kemari), Dr. Arslan Memon, Dr. Adnan Khan, Dr. Zain Bhayo, Dr. Ahsan Bhurgri, Dr. Tariq Masood, Dr. Waqar Soomro, Dr. Zaid Bin Arif (UNICEF), Suneel Raja, Dr. Ramesh, Dr. Buledi, Dr. Saira Zaidi, Tahira Bano, Aijaz Jamali, and others.
