Parents urged to ensure vaccination of their kids

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Kh Imran Nazir on Saturday has appealed the parents to ensure vaccination of their children during the ongoing round of Integrated Outreach Activity (IOA) across the province.

He said the Primary & Secondary Healthcare Department Punjab is conducting its largest routine immunization catch up activity in all the districts of the province from April 1 to 30, 2024 to vaccinate each and every child in the province. The activity is being carried out in all the 3,572 Union Councils of the province with the technical and financial support of WHO. The minister said, “This is high season for measles and in the wake of changing weather, we may see spike in measles cases. I appeal parents to take special care of measles vaccination of children. The IOA is especially designed catch up activity which aims at reaching out to all due, defaulter and zero dose children. The idea is to intensify routine immunization and ensure each and every child is protected against vaccine preventable diseases.”

The minister said, “Though Punjab is reporting fewer measles cases than the rest of the country, yet we must stay alert and ensure complete vaccination of children. We cannot afford any laxity especially in mega urban cities and districts bordering with other provinces.”

The minister said that in the first round of IOA in April this year, 4,585 vaccinators with as many social mobilizers are engaged in the activity. There are 338 supervisors performing duties, which include DHO-PS, EPI Focal Persons, DSVs and ASVs.

Director Health Services (EPI) Dr Mukhtar Ahmed said two doses of measles vaccine are administered to children below two years of age. He said the EPI Program provides free vaccines for 12 diseases. Skilled immunisation staff administers vaccination through fixed and outreach EPI sites as well as mobile vaccination.

Dr Mukhtar said that measles is a contagious diseases and can be transmitted even through close contact. He said children under five years of age, especially under immunised children, are more vulnerable and in case one child gets infected in a family, contact with other children must be avoided. He said breastfeeding and special focus on hand hygiene are extremely important to stop new infections.

Dr Mukhtar said parents must ensure complete vaccination of children. In case a child shows symptoms like fever or rash, he must be taken immediately to the nearest health facility or physician. He said this round in April envisages vaccination children below two years who missed their doses 2023-24. The 2nd round in July, he added, will cover children below five years of age focusing on all children who may have missed their doses during covid-19.

Dr Mukhtar Ahmed elaborated that the special outreach activity follows an integrated approach where vaccinator visits villages and communities under a defined tour plan for Immunisation Service Delivery, Social Mobilizers help in linking services with the community and EPI supervisors and managers conduct Supportive Supervision.

The LHVs provide vaccination services at fixed EPI centres and LHWs support them in Community Mobilisation and provision of MCH services. Polio staff strengthens monitoring to identify gaps and frontline healthcare workers ensure preventive outreach team reach villages and communities.