PESHAWAR: The immunisation against 10 vaccine-preventable childhood diseases has shot up from 52 per to 68 per cent over the past four years in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, claims health department in a report.

It said that with enhanced immunisation, there was an improvement in life-expectancy at birth and reduction in mortality and morbidity among children.

The report said that allocation of Rs6.49 billion (2014-18) for five year plan of strengthening immunisation programme by the government paid off due to which number of EPI centres reached 1,251 from 1,000. “It means that 90 per cent of the union councils have fixed vaccination facilities,” it added.

Health dept says allocation of Rs6.49 billion for five-year plan paid off

Besides, vaccinators have been able to carry out door-t-door campaigns and ensure immunization of children who weren’t taken to the centers. It said that 1588 new technicians had been hired. More than 1800 motor-bikes had been provided to technicians with fuel to enable them to reach all children, it added.

The report said that administration of Pentavalent vaccine against five ailments including diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B and haemophilus influenza type B reached 95 per cent whereas measles’ coverage was recorded at 78 per cent.

The report issued by the expanded programme on immunisation (EPI) puts the overall coverage of fully immunised children at 68 per cent but pointed that six districts including Haripur, Charsadda, Dir Upper, Dir Lower, Swat and Mansehra achieved over 85 per cent coverage.

The coverage of Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG), a vaccine for tuberculosis has been recorded 94 per cent, the highest of all. The coverage was recorded 90 per cent in 14 districts including Peshawar, Haripur, Dir Upper, Bannu, Dir Lower, Kohat, Shangla, Charsadda, Swat, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Malakand, Mardan and Swabi.

Coverage in five districts including Buner, Nowshera, Battagram, Dera Ismail Khan and Hangu was 80 per cent. Coverage in the rest of the districts ranged between 60 to 70 per cent.

The report said that the coverage of first and third dose of Pentavalent-III and PCV-10 was 98 per cent and 87 per cent whereas the injectable polio vaccine (IPV) coverage was 83 per cent.

It said that 18 districts achieved more than 90 per cent coverage and three districts had coverage of over 80 per cent. Three districts achieved 70 to 80 per cent coverage.

The report said that coverage of measles containing vaccine (MCV), which is administered against contiguous disease of measles, also improved. The coverage of MCV-I and II is 82 and 60 per cent respectively.

“Innovative technologies such as a web-based tracking system for staff and provision of 2,900 android phones have improved monitoring while cold chain system has been salaried to provide quality vaccination,” it said.

The report said that the province had to take further measures and improve immunisation coverage in future and safeguard children against preventable ailments.

It said that health department was working in collaboration with the local elders, clerics and elected representative to enhance acceptability of vaccination at the community level.

Vaccination ordinance revision is another crucial step to reach every child and make mandatory that every child should receive vaccine against vaccine preventable diseases. “Steps have been taken for implementation of the revised ordinance in letter and spirit,” said the report.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2018