30 million vaccines are required
for a three-day nation-wide
campaign. PHOTO: EXPRESS/SHAFIQ MALIK/FILE
The ministry of national health services, regulation and coordination (NHSRC) has so far not sent any formal request to international organisations for the procurement of polio vaccines for the purpose of immunising international travellers, The Express Tribune has learnt.
While the ministry headed by Saira Afzal Tarar on Thursday formally requested the World Health Organisation (WHO) to give two or three weeks to implement its strategy on travel restrictions, one official said that the federal government has not written to any international organisation to procure the polio vaccine as it is unable to decide how to procure it.
Instead, the government has asked the provinces to procure the polio vaccine on their own from available resources, an official said on condition of anonymity.
“They have been asked to start using polio vaccine from the available stock for routine immunisation under the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) and anti-polio drives,” said the official.
The official said it is a fact that procurement of polio vaccine has become a challenge for the country and the Ministry of Health is making all-out efforts to chalk out a proper plan as prospective international travellers from Pakistan scramble to obtain inoculation certificates from airports and hospitals.
Acting representative of the WHO Dr Nima Saeed Abid said
that the body has allowed the Pakistani government to take time for full-fledged implementation of its plan following the travelling restrictions.
He clarified that the WHO is not responsible for assisting any country in procuring vaccines, however, for Pakistan it can help mobilise resources.
“Though it is a challenge for Pakistan to procure the polio vaccine for the implementation of their strategy effectively, the challenge is not that huge. Roughly, one three-day nationwide campaign for immunisation of children requires around 30 million vaccines. To immunise each international traveller, Pakistan would need three times this amount.”
Provinces gear up
The Sindh government issued orders on Thursday evening to officials to issue polio vaccination certificates to all international travellers. All persons leaving from Pakistan regardless of citizenship or age shall be administrated the polio vaccine. The certificate will be issued free of charge by an officer not bellow BPS-19, said the order.
The Punjab government issued similar directions, directing all EDOs Health to establish polio vaccination and certification centres in public sector teaching hospitals, DHQ hospitals and District Health Offices to facilitate international travellers.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Health Shahram Khan Tarakai said that while the Bacha Khan International Airport was earlier administering polio vaccines to children only, it has now been directed to administer the vaccine to people from all ages as well as provide cards to travellers.
Additional input from Peshawar bureau.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 9th, 2014.
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Govt needs to set priority for existing supply of vaccine .. kids should come first.