HYDERABAD:The health department on Sunday announced to observe World Immunization Week from April 24 to 30 across the district, in spite of the holy month of Ramzan.
This was announced by District Health Officer Dr Lala Jaffar Khan during a press conference here at Hyderabad Press Club along with his health and immunization team.
Dr. Lala Jaffer said that the Hyderabad Health Department, using its resources, would go door to door to vaccinate infants upto 23 months of age against 12 diseases.
Due to the reported cases of measles in Union Council 4 and 16 of Latifabad and UC – 4 of Qasimabad, a special measles campaign would also be launched during immunization week, the DHO added.
Dr. Lala Jaffer said the teams have been formed for this purpose in which 880 lady health workers, 150 vaccinators will serve in the field as well as at designated 82 immunization centers in the district.
He hoped that 100 per cent target of this vaccine campaign like COD-19 vaccination would be achieved.
He appealed to the general public and the parents to make their children healthy and strong by vaccinating them against 12 deadly diseases.
He said that earlier these vaccines were for 6 diseases and it would cover 12 diseases including pneumonia, measles, tuberculosis, hepatitis, polio, tetanus, rubella, diphtheria, typhoid and other diseases.
Dr. Lala Jaffer made a special appeal to the media to play its effective role in creating awareness so that 100 percent of the target of this campaign could be achieved.
He said that Pakistan Pediatric Association and Dr. Isa Lab would be important partners of the health department for the success of this campaign.
Speaking on the occasion, Pediatrician Dr. Hanif Kishtiwala revealed that more than 2.5 million children die every year worldwide due to non-vaccination while 80,000 children lost their lives annually due to pneumonia in Pakistan.
ADHO Dr Imdad Chana, Dr Dileep Kumar, Dr Shabana, Dr Abdullah Nizamani, Dr Zia Qureshi and others were also present during press conference.