Funds shortage: Vaccine procurement in jeopardy

New EPI policy drafted to make routine immunisation part of national plan.

ISLAMABAD:

The Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) is facing a shortage of funds to procure vaccines for routine immunisation for the next financial year.

This was revealed by National EPI and Prime Minster’s Polio Monitoring Cell Coordinator Dr Ejaz Khan while briefing the National Assembly Sub-Committee on health service which met on Monday.

“It is feared that the scarcity of funds will put the lives of 1.6 million children under the age of one at risk as they would not be vaccinated against nine diseases in the near future,” said Khan.

He said that currently the EPI required Rs3.3 billion, while Rs2.32 million were allocated for 2013-14. He said that a request for a supplementary grant of Rs993 million has been submitted to the finance division.

He informed the sub-committee that pending liabilities have accumulated to Rs1.05 billion after a stand-off with the Accountant General Pakistan Revenues.

In view of the delays, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI), which is supporting Pakistan in 93 per cent of its vaccine procurement, has asked the Pakistan government to procure its-co-financing share of the pentavalent and pneumococcal vaccines through the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), he said.

“Despite completion of the entire process and endorsement by the finance division, the AGPR did not release the amount to UNICEF,” said Khan.

Khan said that for strengthening the programme, a new EPI policy has been drafted and the routine immunisation will be made part of the National Emergency Action Plan (NEAP) 2014.

The sub-committee chairman expressed concern over the financial constrain being faced by EPI and asked the EPI manager to come up with a detailed presentation about the vaccine procurement of last year.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 25^th, 2014.