24/7 vaccination centres inaugurated

PESHAWAR:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Health Minister Syed Qasim Ali Shah on Wednesday inaugurated the first ever 24/7 Vaccination Centres at Maulvi Ameer Shah Memorial Hospital in Peshawar and the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Mardan.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Medical Superintendent Dr. Akram Shah District Health Officer Dr. Idrees UNICEF representatives, and other relevant officials in Peshawar.

In Mardan, the minister, accompanied by local MPAs and DHQ Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Javed, cut the Pakistan Day cake and officially inaugurated the vaccination facilities.

Speaking to the media in Peshawar, Shah highlighted that these centres will remain operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The vaccination centres feature four counters, which will be active round-the-clock.

Separate counters have been designated for pregnant women to receive tetanus and diphtheria vaccines, routine immunisations, and newborns as part of the Birth Dose Initiative. Additionally, a special 24-hour counter has been established for people travelling abroad, including those going for Hajj and Umrah. At these booths, they can receive COVID-19 and polio vaccinations before getting ahold of their vaccination cards.

The minister also announced plans to establish 24/7 vaccination centres in all district headquarter hospitals across the province. Shah expressed confidence that these centres will significantly improve routine immunisation rates and help in controll epidemics. "Now, parents can vaccinate their children at any time, day or night," he added.

In response to a question, the health minister mentioned that when he assumed office, polio samples were positive in 13 districts, but today, thanks to efforts of the department, only three districts remain, and they too will soon be polio-free.

He also noted that the province has successfully reduced dengue cases to the lowest levels in history, demonstrating the effectiveness of the health department's efforts. "By adopting preventive measures, together we can defeat dengue," he concluded.