Effective immunisation: EPI technicians provided smartphones

PESHAWAR: Following suggestions forwarded by paediatricians, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) health department has equipped technicians of the Expanded Program on Immunisation (EPI) with android cellular devices to strengthen the programme and help better data transfer from far off areas.

A ceremony for this purpose was held at the health secretariat on Monday when the department handed over android phones to the EPI technicians. A total of 1,557 EPI technicians, including 1,327 regulars and their supervisors, will receive the androids which will give data besides location and children’s information to the centre.

Paediatricians have been calling on authorities to deal with routine immunisation in the same way they had been tackling polio eradication. They pointed out that other diseases were causing deaths.

Keeping their suggestions in view, the health department developed and implemented the strategy to fill gaps to ensure all children get lifesaving vaccination in their communities. The department also planned to hire more staff for routine immunisation, field monitoring, supply chains and provide mobility to vaccinators for greater outreach.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 19^th, 2016.