Facilitation: Vaccinators, EPI staff to get motorcycles

EPI workers in 3,522 union councils will get motorcycles to help in their work

LAHORE: Punjab government has started distributing motorcycles to vaccinators and other staff members of the Extended Programme on Immunisation (EPI) in the province. This week, 900 motorcycles will be distributed, Health Services Director General Dr Zahid Pervaiz said on Wednesday.

The idea is to facilitate workers and to equip them with adequate resources, he said. For this purpose, the government will distribute motorcycles to vaccinators in 3,522 union councils of the province. “Vaccinators have to travel long distances. This step will go a long way in achieving at least 90 per cent immunisation coverage in the province. They have already been given Android smart phones with applications reporting for data,” the DG said.

In the first phase, motorcycles will be given to top performers, he said. Later, all vaccinators will get motorcycles, Dr Pervaiz said.

He thanked Atlas Honda for supporting the cause of immunisation by providing 90 additional motorcycles. He said the Health Department had originally placed an order for 900 motorcycles but Atlas Honda not only gave them a discount but also gave 90 motorcycles for free. The company had written to the department that even though the purchase order was received well before the price reduction, the “company has decided to pass the benefit to the department for a noble cause.”

Another batch of 1,645 motorcycles is due next month and the third lot will be delivered in the next few months, “so that no one is missed out,” the DG said.

Dr Pervaiz said all out efforts were being made to facilitate the staff. The DG said prevalence of polio virus had tarnished Pakistan’s image abroad. “We are doing our best to achieve a polio-free Pakistan. We are near the endgame… this will be our legacy for our future generations.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2015.