Round three: Just under 550,000 minors vaccinated as Sehat ka Insaf continues

502 teachers, a large number of LHWs and volunteers helped out on Sunday, says health minister.

PESHAWAR: Entering its third week, 547,093 children were vaccinated against nine paediatric diseases during the third round of the Sehat ka Insaf campaign in 77 union councils  (UC) of the provincial capital, according to claims made by the provincial government.

Amid the recent spate of violence, strict security measures were adopted. “There were 5,777 boots on the ground,” an official associated with the campaign told The Express Tribune, “At least four policemen were available to cordon-off a single street.”

As vaccination teams reached out to around 0.3 million houses for nine paediatric diseases in 77 union councils, polio inoculation was carried out in 44 union councils.



During the inauguration ceremony of the vaccination drive held at Aladad Park, Akhunabad, Minister for Health Shaukat Yousafzai said efforts such as the wide-ranging campaign were the need of the hour to control the ever-increasing infant mortality rates in the province.

Health by numbers

“Sehat ka Insaf is in fact a struggle against nine dangerous diseases including polio. In just the third phase, 547,093 children were vaccinated, which certainly should be an international record,” claimed the health minister.

While speaking to journalists, Yousafzai revealed around 3,300 teams, which included 760 workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, 502 teachers and a large number of lady health workers and volunteers, helped out on Sunday.

At least 299,038 households were targeted in the third phase, while vaccination drops were administered to more than half a million children under the age of five in the second phase of the drive last week.

While speaking to The Express Tribune, the district’s polio control room focal person revealed the original target for the third phase of the drive was to vaccinate around 635,675 children, however, the target was missed by a small margin because some 30,062 children were not accessible. But, he added, on Monday (today) the district administration will launch a drive at schools in the 77 UCs and will vaccinate the remaining children.

When asked about the recent polio cases which have surfaced in the last week from Badhaber and Bannu, Yousafzai had no updates. However, the health minister confirmed the current campaign will continue for a few months and all efforts shall be made to ensure that not a single child in Peshawar is left unvaccinated.

The MPA also announced a dispensary for UC-26 and revealed all union councils will be provided basic health units (BHU) in the future. “Access to health care is the right of the poor,” he said.

Giving assurances on the continuation of the vaccination drive, Yousafzai said no stone will be left unturned in this regard, even in the face of decaying law and order. He also condemned attacks on police personnel on Charsadda Road. Targeting of policemen and polio workers will not diminish their resolve to achieve their targets, stated Yousafzai.

The health minister took notice of the cleanliness system in the area and urged authorities to investigate the failure of the municipal corporation and its employees, and suspend all those found guilty of negligence in their duty.

The health minister, who was flanked by MPA Fazal Elahi, Sehat ka Insaf focal person Younas Zaheer, and the minister for forest and environment, made door to door visits to households to administer immunisation vaccines to children.

The minister also gave away Insaf Sehat kits and brochures in an attempt to increase awareness amongst the public against dengue.

Routine immunisation is to begin in Peshawar this week after 210,000 vaccination cards were distributed on Sunday. Strict measures have been adopted so the cards cannot be sold for a profit and the facilities be provided for free, shared another official associated with the campaign. These cards will be used in 67 UCs, including 18 BHUs.

The week after, the government plans to launch a mega campaign across 97 UCs of Peshawar where an estimated 800,000 children will be vaccinated.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 17^th, 2014.