Latest news with #ExpandedProgrammeonImmunisation
Business Recorder
4 hours ago
- General
- Business Recorder
Communicable diseases: Need for collaboration to create awareness stressed
ISLAMABAD: The Director General (DG) Health of Federal Directorate of Immunization (FDI) has stressed the need for close collaboration between the government agencies and the civil society organisations (CSOs) to create awareness on various communicable viral diseases including poliovirus. Speaking at an event, Dr Shabana Saleem, DG Health FDI here on Tuesday said that SCOs engagement will help bridge remaining gaps in routine immunisation coverage, especially in remote and underserved areas through advocacy, demand generation, and service delivery. The meeting marked the beginning of a transformative phase in Pakistan's Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), highlighting the significant role CSOs can play in reaching underserved populations. Dr Saleem welcomed representatives from CSOs, partner organisations, and the EPI community, expressing gratitude to Gavi, Mannion Daniels (MD), Oxford Policy Management (OPM), and the 17 selected CSOs from all the four provinces for their commitment and participation. 'CSOs bring community trust, local knowledge, and grassroots presence, making them essential partners in strengthening our immunisation programme,' said Dr Saleem. These CSOs will play a pivotal role in identifying 'zero-dose' children, mobilising communities, and extending EPI services where they are needed most. The CSOs will operate as a vital extension of national and provincial EPI systems. Federal and provincial governments' leadership in CSO engagement exemplifies how strategic collaboration can drive higher immunisation coverage. Through the government's strong commitment to work closely with CSOs at the provincial level, the immunisation programme will be further strengthened to reach more children, especially those that have proven hardest to reach, stated Carrie Madison Gheen, Senior Country Manager, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Karen Stephenson, Team Lead for the CSO Fund Manager Mechanism at Mannion Daniels stated: 'We are delighted that thanks to the collaboration with the FDI and Provincial partners, a diverse range of civil society organizations are now able to support Pakistan's efforts to increase immunization coverage. Civil society organizations will be able to deliver meaningful results together with the communities they work in.' Under Gavi's CSO Fund Manager Mechanism, Mannion Daniels and Oxford Policy Management are responsible for delivering fund management services. To date, this has involved a rigorous independent shortlisting and due diligence process including consultation with federal and provincial EPI leadership. This resulted in the selection of 17 CSOs to support immunisation efforts across Pakistan. Following this shortlisting and selection process, the CSO Fund Manager Mechanism in Pakistan now enters the grant implementation phase. At this point, Dr Saleem emphasised the importance of coordination between CSOs, the FDI, Provincial EPIs, and development partners. 'Clear KPIs and robust monitoring frameworks will guide this initiative to ensure transparency, accountability, and measurable results,' she stated. 'I urge all CSO partners to embrace this responsibility with integrity and commitment.' Dr Saleem thanked all participants for their dedication. 'Together, let's make this partnership a model of how governments and civil society can work hand in hand to ensure every child in Pakistan receives life-saving vaccines, regardless of geography or background.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
The Citizen
6 days ago
- Health
- The Citizen
Gauteng health urges parents to take children for immunisation
Children are vaccinated according to the national Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) schedule, from birth to 12 years old. The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) is urging parents, caregivers, and communities to ensure children are fully immunised. It warned that failure to do so places young lives at risk and undermines their right to a healthy life. This call coincides with South Africa's observance of National Child Protection Week, from 29 May to 5 June 2025. The department on Thursday emphasised that protecting children from preventable diseases is a vital part of honouring their constitutional right to life, health, and dignity. Alarming drop in vaccination rates Despite immunisation services being freely available at all public health facilities in the province, coverage remains below target. According to departmental data, only 82.3% of children under the age of one were fully vaccinated in the 2024/25 financial year, short of the 90% target. The second dose of the Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine recorded an even lower uptake at 78.4%, against the provincial goal of 92%. 'Failing to complete a child's immunisation schedule is not just a medical oversight, it is a silent threat to their well-being, and a subtle form of neglect,' said Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko. ALSO READ: Spike in foodborne illness prompts Gauteng crackdown on non-compliant establishments, says health MEC Sedibeng district leading The department highlighted disparities in coverage across districts. Sedibeng is leading the way, achieving 98% full immunisation for children under one and 96.1% for the MR second dose. However, metropolitan districts such as Tshwane (76.6%), Ekurhuleni (78.6%), and Johannesburg (85%) continue to underperform. One of the contributing factors is poor adherence to follow-up vaccination appointments. The GDoH said it will strengthen public awareness on the importance of completing vaccination schedules and implement coordinated school holiday campaigns, working with Integrated School Health Programme (ISH) teams and outbreak response units. ALSO READ: Gauteng health warns of 'silent killer' 'Immunisation is a right, not a choice' Children are vaccinated according to the national Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) schedule, from birth to 12 years old. Each vaccine visit is recorded in the Road to Health Booklet, which parents must present at every clinic appointment. The department is also intensifying efforts to track children who missed routine vaccines, particularly in underserved areas, and will continue to offer outreach services to close these gaps. 'This Child Protection Week, we must all recommit to protecting the rights of our children by ensuring they receive every scheduled vaccine on time, because a healthy child is a protected child,' Nkomo-Ralehoko said. GDoH reminded parents that ensuring a child is fully immunised is not only a health responsibility, but also a moral and legal obligation under South Africa's child protection laws. NOW READ: Health minister defends nearly R10 million legal spend on NHI court battles
Business Recorder
24-05-2025
- Health
- Business Recorder
13 prefabricated vaccination centres built in underserved areas
ISLAMABAD: The World Health Organisation (WHO), in partnership with the Government of Pakistan, has built 13 prefabricated vaccination centres and initiated the procurement process to deliver 13 additional facilities in underserved areas across the country. Together, the centres will serve a population of over 750 000 people. The 26 centres – funded by GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance – represent the first batch of prefabricated facilities to be built over a 3-year period as part of a plan, led by the Federal Directorate of Immunisation (FDI) and its Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), to progressively expand vaccination and basic health care infrastructure across the country. In addition to providing access to lifesaving vaccines, the centres will offer essential health care services to populations that previously lacked access due to factors such as distance to the nearest public health facility and absence of transportation. The first 13 new centres are already operational in Punjab, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). The next 13, which are in the procurement phase, will be built in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). By providing land, human resources and funding for operational costs, the government and district health departments have actively contributed to establishing these centres. Of the 26 facilities, 24 will be solar-powered to ensure functionality during power cuts and natural disasters, while also contributing to climate change mitigation. 'Our partnership with WHO is essential to continue strengthening Pakistan's Expanded Programme on Immunisation and reaching the communities most in need. These vaccination centres will bring vaccines and health care services closer to the communities who needed it the most,' said Dr Shabana Saleem, Director General, (Health)/FDI. The facilities have been strategically located in areas with limited access to basic health care services and low vaccination coverage and will address a deficit of immunisation centres that currently affects 20 per cent of health facilities in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan, Sindh and Punjab. To build healthier societies it is crucial to deliver health for all, reaching the most vulnerable and leaving no one behind. These prefabricated structures provide safer, movable, greener and more resilient health facilities that can help reinforce primary health care and respond to emergencies more effectively, said WHO Representative in Pakistan Dr Dapeng Luo. 'WHO will continue to support the Government of Pakistan in its efforts to ensure that all children in Pakistan have access to lifesaving vaccines and to build resilient health systems that provide universal health coverage (UHC) for all, no matter who they are or where they live,' he added. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
CairoScene
07-05-2025
- Health
- CairoScene
Egypt Maintains Measles & Rubella-Free Status for Second Year
WHO confirms Egypt's success in eliminating measles, rubella and congenital rubella syndrome. May 07, 2025 Egypt has been officially recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO) as free of measles, rubella, and congenital rubella syndrome for the second consecutive year, following a rigorous evaluation process by international health experts. The announcement reflects Egypt's sustained efforts to maintain universal vaccination coverage and strengthen nationwide disease surveillance. A central pillar of these efforts is the country's Expanded Programme on Immunisation, launched in 1984, which offers routine and free vaccines to all children regardless of nationality. According to WHO, Egypt's system tracks more than 55 communicable diseases through laboratory-backed monitoring and referral networks that allow for swift diagnosis and response. These measures were instrumental in the country's previous success eradicating polio, malaria, and hepatitis B among children under five. This achievement places Egypt among a select group of countries globally that have successfully interrupted endemic transmission of these diseases. It also aligns with Egypt's broader public health goals under Vision 2030 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to reduce child mortality and advance universal health coverage. WHO officials highlighted Egypt's progress as a model for neighbouring countries still battling sporadic outbreaks, noting that maintaining this status will require ongoing vigilance and sustained immunisation efforts.
Hindustan Times
28-04-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Dose by dose: Story of India's vaccine evolution
As we enter World Immunisation Week, it would be interesting to look at India's immunisation journey which began over two centuries ago when the country's first smallpox vaccine was administered in Mumbai in 1802, laying the foundation for public preventative health care. More than a century later, preventative immunisation began in earnest in 1948 with the adoption of the International Tuberculosis Campaign, an initiative designed to stop the potentially deadly bacterial disease that mainly affects the lungs and killed an estimated 500,000 people a year in India in the late 1940s. Yet it wasn't until 1978 that India reached a turning point in its vaccine delivery framework and ability to deliver broader protective health care at scale. That year, the country launched the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI)—later renamed the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP)— providing free vaccines against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases, including tuberculosis, polio, measles, and hepatitis B for mothers and children. Today, it stands as one of the world's largest public health programmes, and as one of the world's largest national immunisation programmes, the UIP reaches over 2.67 crore newborns and 2.9 crore pregnant women annually. Notably, under the aegis of UIP, polio eradication became one of the earliest and most prominent successes for Indian health care. Thanks to years of sustained immunisation drives and nationwide campaigns, and to support from policymakers, health workers, volunteers, Rotary clubs, and other partners, India, part of the World Health Organization's Southeast Asia Region, was certified polio-free in 2014—a significant model for the world to follow. Despite the country's success in stopping polio, high population density, poor sanitation, the prevalence of marginalised and/or inaccessible communities, and vaccine hesitancy remained. These public health challenges led our government to launch Mission Indradhanush (MI) in December 2014. Concentrated on 'addressing gaps in immunisation coverage and ensuring that essential vaccines reach those who need them most,' MI focuses on vaccinating women and children against a host of diseases, including diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, and tuberculosis, meningitis and pneumonia caused by haemophilus influenzae. The initiative has completed twelve phases so far, covering 554 districts across the country, and will continue to provide immunisation coverage to those in need. In 2023-24, India reached full, national immunisation coverage — a milestone made possible through the consistent and extensive efforts of programs like UIP and MI. Alongside domestic progress, India is also ensuring global progress toward equitable access to vaccines as the largest vaccine producer in the world. Covering 60% of the global vaccine supply, India is remarkably one of the biggest suppliers of low-cost vaccines in the world. During the pandemic, India exported over 298 million Covid-19 vaccine doses to nearly 100 countries during the Vaccine Maitri initiative. Now, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-integrated innovations such as the Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN) app, a platform that electronically tracks vaccine supply, allow us to further modernise health care delivery across the nation. This article is authored by Deepak Kapur, chairman, Rotary International India's National PolioPlus Committee (RI-INPPC).
