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QUETTA, Apr 24 (APP): Director General (DG) of Health Balochistan Dr. Farooq Hoth and EPI Program Provincial Coordinator Dr. Kamalan Gichki on Wednesday said that just like the rest of the world, Balochistan also initiated the celebration of Immunization Awareness Week from April 24 to 30.
During this time, more than 0.4 million children will be vaccinated across the province, more than 1,000 vaccinator posts are currently vacant in Balochistan, out of which 300 are being recruited soon, they said.
They shared these views while addressing at press conference at Quetta Press Club along with WHO’s Dr. Asfandyar Sheraini and other doctors.
They said that immunization awareness week was celebrated from April 24 to 30 all over the world, Department of Health, Government of Balochistan was celebrating the 50th anniversary of this program in collaboration with UNICEF and WHO this week.
The program has the support of Pakistan Pediatric Association, the elimination of smallpox under this program is a great success, initially, they were providing immunization against six diseases, but now this program has been expanded to cover 12 different diseases under EPI including tuberculosis, polio, whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus, pneumonia, meningitis, diarrhea, typhoid, measles and rubella and free vaccinations are being provided, they underscored.
They said that the health department was providing this facility to the citizens through the nearest hospitals, fixed sites, outreach vaccination and mobile teams for remote populations.
Balochistan as a location is a test of patience and we are trying to reach the far-flung populations in Khuzdar, Turbat mountain ranges, Chagai and Washuk deserts, Gwadar and Lasbela coastal areas, Zhob and Loralai, they maintained.
They further said that during the corona virus, people had to face difficulties in accessing the facilities and this directly affected the vaccination of children and various children were deprived of vaccines.
After which the rate of vaccine-preventable disease increased, however, under the EPI program, the target population from birth to two years of age was raised to the upper age limit and now efforts have been made to deliver the vaccine to children who have had their immunizations up to five years old.