Covid-19 jab drive targets 4.8m children

LAHORE:

An advocacy seminar on pediatric coronavirus vaccinations was held in Lahore, ahead of an upcoming pediatric Covid-19 vaccination campaign planned from September 19 to September 24.

The drive will be carried out in five districts of Punjab, aiming to vaccinate 4.8 million children, aged between the ages of 5 and 12.

The seminar was hosted by Directorate General Health Services Punjab and the Expanded Programme on Immunization Punjab, in collaboration with UNICEF Punjab. A special message from the Provincial Secretary for Primary and Secondary Health Department (P&SHD), Dr Irshad Ahmed, was shared at the occasion, while Additional Secretary School Education Department Naveed Shehzad Mirza, Additional Secretary Auqaf and Religious Affairs Department Dr Ahmed Afnan attended the seminar.

“We appreciate the efforts of all implementing partners to help make Punjab Covid-free and protect all adults and children against the deadly virus,” said Dr Irshad in his special message. “We also laud the organizers of today’s seminar, that aims to pave the way for the upcoming Covid-19 vaccination drive and dispel misconceptions surrounding children’s immunization against the virus,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 17^th, 2022.