World Immunization Week: ‘56% of K-P’s children covered under routine vaccines’
Health minister criticises LRH admin over lack of hygiene.
56% of K-P’s children are covered under routine vaccinations, compared to 66% in Punjab, 16% in Balochistan and 29% in Sindh, Child Rights Movement provincial coordinator Azazuddin shares. PHOTO: FILE
PESHAWAR:
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government is planning to computerise the systems of all major hospitals of the province to save time and regulate health affairs.
This was stated by Minister for Health Shahram Khan Tarakai on Wednesday at the launch of a documentary on the last day of the World Immunization Week at Lady Reading Hospital (LRH). World Immunization Week is celebrated worldwide during the last week of April every year to create awareness about the benefits of immunisation against polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
“We have the resources and are ready to provide everything but we need results in the shape of relief to the public and better treatment facilities,” claimed Tarakai.
The minister criticised the LRH administration and said of all the main hospitals in the province, only LRH has 900 Class-IV employees of which 280 are sanitary workers but hygiene is still a major problem at the hospital.
“People voted us into power to correct the system – not promote politics in institutions. We need doctors and other staff to be punctual,” he added. “Favouritism and nepotism will not be allowed to flourish anymore.”
Saving children
At the occasion, Child Rights Movement provincial coordinator Azazuddin shared immunisation prevents an estimated 2-3 million deaths in the world every year.
More than 80% of the world’s children receive basic immunisation but more than 22 million are left unvaccinated. “One in five children is still missed out worldwide,” he added.
According to Azazuddin, 56% of K-P’s children are covered under routine vaccinations, compared to 66% in Punjab, 16% in Balochistan and 29% in Sindh.
Talking about vaccine-preventable deaths in the country, he said 50,000 children die of pneumonia. Of 14,000 reported measles cases in the past three years, 300 deaths occurred.
About challenges faced by immunisation planners in Pakistan, he termed the absence of vaccinators, security problems, population displacement and limited access to services as major hurdles.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 1st, 2014.
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government is planning to computerise the systems of all major hospitals of the province to save time and regulate health affairs.
This was stated by Minister for Health Shahram Khan Tarakai on Wednesday at the launch of a documentary on the last day of the World Immunization Week at Lady Reading Hospital (LRH). World Immunization Week is celebrated worldwide during the last week of April every year to create awareness about the benefits of immunisation against polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
“We have the resources and are ready to provide everything but we need results in the shape of relief to the public and better treatment facilities,” claimed Tarakai.
The minister criticised the LRH administration and said of all the main hospitals in the province, only LRH has 900 Class-IV employees of which 280 are sanitary workers but hygiene is still a major problem at the hospital.
“People voted us into power to correct the system – not promote politics in institutions. We need doctors and other staff to be punctual,” he added. “Favouritism and nepotism will not be allowed to flourish anymore.”
Saving children
At the occasion, Child Rights Movement provincial coordinator Azazuddin shared immunisation prevents an estimated 2-3 million deaths in the world every year.
More than 80% of the world’s children receive basic immunisation but more than 22 million are left unvaccinated. “One in five children is still missed out worldwide,” he added.
According to Azazuddin, 56% of K-P’s children are covered under routine vaccinations, compared to 66% in Punjab, 16% in Balochistan and 29% in Sindh.
Talking about vaccine-preventable deaths in the country, he said 50,000 children die of pneumonia. Of 14,000 reported measles cases in the past three years, 300 deaths occurred.
About challenges faced by immunisation planners in Pakistan, he termed the absence of vaccinators, security problems, population displacement and limited access to services as major hurdles.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 1st, 2014.