Routine immunisation: Health dept to recruit staff to overcome shortcomings

PESHAWAR: The health department has planned to reduce shortcomings so that the ratio of routine polio immunisation can be increased. This has been done in view of the low coverage of routine immunisation and the involvement of Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) technicians in polio campaigns.

Health officials told The Express Tribune the department has planned to assign duties of two additional EPI technicians for underprivileged union councils across the province since a majority of the children were falling prey to different diseases due to the low ratio of routine immunisation coverage.

They said pediatricians from across the province were repeatedly telling the government to prioritise routine immunisation and give it the same attention as campaigns against poliovirus.

They would criticise the relevant authorities to neglect routine immunisation, saying it was the reason why a large number of children were reported to have been infected by various viruses, including pneumonia, measles, diarrhoea and other diseases posing serious threats to lives of children.

“The department is well aware of the fact that routine immunisation is lower as compared to polio coverage,” a senior health official told The Express Tribune on Tuesday. “But polio has been declared part of the routine immunisation. Besides, children will be vaccinated against other diseases as well.”

The official added the health department, following suggestions forwarded by different health experts dealing with diseases that afflict children, has decided to strengthen routine immunisation.

He said the decision was taken during a meeting with Health Secretary Abid Majeed on Monday. “When you have doctors, vaccinators, lady health workers and lady health visitors, there should be no excuse for failing to provide medical assistance to the public,” he cited Majeed as saying.

He said at least 1,088 posts of EPI technicians have been sanctioned and will soon be filled to ensure the officials dealing with the routine immunisation do not complain of shortage of staff.

“The relevant official would always say a shortage of staff is one of the main reasons for low routine immunisation coverage,” he said. “Now they will not be able to escape.”

However, the health department officials could not be reached for an official version.

Earlier on July 18, the health department announced its decision to hire more staff for routine immunisation to fill gaps in ensuring all children were administered vaccination in their communities.

The department also equipped EPI technicians with android cellular devices to strengthen the programme and help improve data transfer from far-flung areas.

On March 9, Pakistan Paediatric Association President Dr Amin Jan Gandapur said polio campaigns will only be successful when routine immunisation coverage is up to the mark and urged people to take interest in immunising their children.

“Until and unless people support immunisation, the virus cannot be eradicated,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2016.