LAHORE:The primary responsibility of parents and the fundamental right of children is to prioritise completing the routine immunisation course for safeguarding their health. This ensures that children are fully protected from diseases before starting school.
Routine immunisation plays a pivotal role in disease prevention and eradication. The complete eradication of polio hinges on every child in the nation receiving full vaccination against this deadly disease. The invention of vaccines has significantly reduced child mortality and disease incidence.
These perspectives were shared by public health and medical experts during a seminar on the significance of immunisation for well-being of children, in collaboration with UNICEF at the Institute of Public Health (IPH) on Thursday.
Dr. Zarfashan Tahir, dean of IPH, emphasised that worldwide, parents regard child vaccination as a special priority and the child’s foremost right. However, in our context, we still face challenges in fully embracing vaccination to protect our children. She urged people to dismiss any negative vaccine propaganda and ensure their children receive polio vaccines during campaigns. This way, our children can avoid lifelong disabilities, and the nation can be recognised as a responsible and civilised global citizen. She also praised the dedication of polio workers who risk their lives to administer polio drops door-to-door.
Dr. Muhammad Ilyas Gondal, Director General of Health Services Punjab, highlighted that the government provides free routine immunization services with the support of international partners, investing billions of rupees annually. He emphasised that the immunization course guards against 12 diseases in young children, and it is now the responsibility of parents to secure a healthy future for their children by taking advantage of this facility.
Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad, Director of EPI Punjab, explained that static vaccination centers are being expanded in urban areas, with around four hundred new vaccination centers established in major cities. Awareness campaigns regarding routine immunization are also in full swing, including seminars like this one. He noted that vaccination is now available in all teaching hospitals of the province until 8 o’clock at night. Dr. Mukhtar highlighted the significant increase in immunization rates in Punjab over the last few years, with children being vaccinated at eight and a half thousand locations.
In the seminar, UNICEF representative Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad Shad and Dr. Imran from the World Health Organisation, associated with EPI Punjab, shared their expert insights and detailed the developments carried out in Punjab by international partners and the entire Punjab EPI programme. They reaffirmed their commitment to continued support and emphasised the critical role of immunization in newborns’ health.