ISLAMABAD, Jan 25 (APP):Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Aamer Mehmod Kiyani on Friday said that the government was making all efforts to improve the immunization system and service delivery for increasing coverage and reaching all eligible children.
The minister was talking to members of a high level mission of Center for Disease Control (CDC), during which an in-depth discussion was held about capacity needs for routine immunization at the country level.
The minister, while sharing the vision of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, said that strengthening health system with specific focus on preventive and primary health measures is the priority area of the government.
“We believe that strengthening immunization system of the country is a step that will take us towards achieving universal health coverage goal”, Kiani said.
The mission is on visit to Pakistan from January 21. During the visit the mission met with the officials of Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), WHO, UNICEF and relevant US Mission stakeholders to conduct landscape analysis of in-country partners and Government of Pakistan to determine what additional technical support could be offered, the specific focus of such support and how best to leverage.
The mission members included Dr William Schluter, Director Global Immunization Division, CDC, Ms Virginia Swezy, Deputy Director, CDC and Ahmed Liban, Country Director, CDC Pakistan.The mission intended to assess need in the planning and implementation of routine immunization activities.
Pakistan is one of the six priority countries for the M&RI collaboration and CDC has resolved to provide in-country technical support to EPI. The aim of the mission includes subsequent implementation of a CDC technical assistance plan that will help achieve EPI’s goals of increased coverage and improved quality of RI programs in Pakistan.
