Mortality rate of children under five is alarming: Secretary Health Balochsitan

QUETTA:  Mortality rate of the under-five age group children in Balochistan is alarming and therefore parents should be mindful of vaccinating their children against nine major diseases as a large number of children each year of preventable diseases in the province.  

 This was told by the Arshad Hussian Bugti Secretary Health Balochsitan during a seminar jointly organized by the provincial Expended Programme on Immunization and Save the Children Balochistan programme to celebrate World Immunization Week 2014.

He said that lack of knowledge about vaccination is one of the most important causes, adding that parent who do not have access to right information regarding vaccination are usually reluctant and hesitate to get their children vaccinated. “Resultantly, hundreds of children die each year by the preventable diseases whose vaccination are available,” he said.  

Dr. Essa Khan Jogizai Director General Health Services Balochsitan told that Theme of World Immunization Week 2014 is: “Are you up-to-date?” This year’s World mmunization Week campaign seeks to address the lack of knowledge and misinformation in community that affects routine vaccination.

Therefore, he said,  EPI has arranged awareness raising programme at district level to make people aware on vaccination. “During this campaign those children will be targeted who have completed their vaccination, he said and added that they will be administered the remaining dosages of the vaccination to complete their immunization course.

During the seminar documentary on immunization was launched. This immunization documentary explained in detail the overall scenario of immunization in Pakistan particularly in Baluchistan. The documentary discussed the myths and norms of local community toward vaccination.

Documentary was developed Provincial in collaboration by the Expended Programme on Immunization and Save the Children Pakistan programme.

Nadeem Shahid, Manager Advocacy & Campaign Save the Children in Balochsitan urged the provincial government to allocate budget for provincial EPI programme and to appoint two vaccinators at union council level in Balochistan. Furthermore, he emphasized that number of female vaccinator must be increased to enhance the coverage of routine immunization.

By Staff Reporter

Published in the Balochistan Point on April 27, 2014