EPI Starts Evening Shift Vaccination: Punjab Caretaker Minister For Primary And Secondary Healthcare Department Dr. Jamal Nasir

Punjab Caretaker Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Dr. Jamal Nasir said on Thursday that the Expanded Program on Immunization had started evening shift vaccination services at leading teaching hospitals of the province

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th May, 2023 ) :Punjab Caretaker Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Dr. Jamal Nasir said on Thursday that the Expanded Program on Immunization had started evening shift vaccination services at leading teaching hospitals of the province.

Speaking at the Media Orientation Workshop organized by the Expanded Program on Immunization with support of UNICEF here, he said the initiative would facilitate parents who were unable to get their children vaccinated during working hours.

He said that role of vaccines was pivotal in preventing and controlling outbreaks across the world. Without vaccines, he added, "Our world would be hugely vulnerable to epidemics and outbreaks." He said the orientation workshop was part of the activities of the World Immunization Week 2023 which was commemorated world over from April 24 to 30 every year. However, awareness activities continued throughout the month of May, he added. He said that in consonance with the theme of this year, 'The Big Catch up', Punjab carried out the Integrated Outreach Activity with WHO support which provided an excellent catch-up vaccination opportunity to cover Zero Dose Children/Communities & Defaulters, Higher age group children till 5 years missing vaccination, ensure Covid-19 Vaccination and administer OPV to Still Missed Children.

He said, "The World Immunization Week" gave an opportunity to create awareness about the miraculous impact of vaccines in saving human lives. He said that vaccines were the most cost effective Public Health Intervention ever introduced in human history. The Punjab government provided vaccines for 12 fatal diseases to children below two years of age free of cost, he said and added that these vaccines were administered by skilled immunization staff through fixed and outreach sites.

Director General Health Services Punjab Dr. Ilyas Gondal appealed to the media to support in creating awareness about the role of vaccines in saving lives.

Director EPI Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed said that Punjab had also set up Labour Room Birth Vaccination at selected Teaching Hospitals to ensure birth dose vaccine of every child.

UNICEF Representative Dr. Tahir Manzoor said that benefits of vaccines must reach the rich and poor alike. WHO Representative Dr. Imran Qureshi said that vaccines provided by EPI Punjab were approved by the WHO and were safe and effective.

WHO representatives, Dr. Imran Qureshi, Director Hepatitis Control Program Dr. Yadullah, immunization experts, senior journalists including bureau chiefs and beat reporters attended the workshop.