Sukkur: The Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) Sindh held its Quarterly Review Meeting (QRM) for Sukkur and Larkana Divisions to assess routine immunization progress and chalk out strategies to further improve vaccination coverage, said a release issued here on Sunday.
The meeting was chaired by Project Director EPI Sindh, Dr. Raj Kumar, and co-chaired by Additional Project Director, Dr. Sohail Raza Shaikh. Representatives of WHO, UNICEF, GAVI and other partner organizations also attended.
District Health Officers, Divisional Directors Health, EPI focal persons and district teams gave detailed briefings on routine immunization coverage, vaccine-preventable disease surveillance, birth dose vaccination and other initiatives. The review highlighted district-wise achievements, pointed out operational challenges and discussed practical solutions to strengthen service delivery.
While overall performance of both divisions was termed encouraging, the meeting stressed the need for extra efforts in Kambar-Shahdadkot, Khairpur and Kashmore-Kandhkot to improve coverage.
Addressing the participants, Dr. Raj Kumar said, “Every child has the right to receive life-saving vaccines. We must continue strengthening routine immunization, improve outreach, and ensure that no child is left behind. District teams should use data for action and focus on reaching underserved communities. ”
Dr. Sohail Raza Shaikh lauded the commitment of district health teams and frontline vaccinators. “The progress achieved reflects the dedication of our health workforce. We should continue learning from high-performing districts while providing targeted support to districts that need improvement so that quality immunization services are available to every child, ” he said.
On the occasion, EPI Sindh awarded shields to best performing districts for their outstanding performance in routine immunization. High-performing vaccinators were also given appreciation tokens for their dedication and contribution.
Earlier, EPI Sindh also organized an Open Discussion – Khuli Kachehri – with vaccinators, providing frontline workers a direct platform to share their operational challenges, field experiences and recommendations with the provincial leadership. The session highlighted EPI’s commitment to support frontline staff and strengthen immunization services across Sindh.
The session was moderated by Dr. Waqar Soomro. Among others, Dr. Tariq Masood, UNICEF’s Suneel Raja, Dr. Arslan Memon, Dr. Mehboob, Aijaz Jamali and Muzaffar Bhurt, along with partner representatives and district health teams, attended the meeting.
