Terming North Waziristan area as epicentre of polio disease, senior Paediatricians on Thursday said that out of total 57 polio cases reported this year so far in the country, over 80 percent among them are from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa as against four in Punjab and three in Sindh. Professor Dr Tariq Bhutta, WHO advisor and Professor Dr Tahir Masood, who served as professors and heads of paediatrics in different health institutions, told reporters at a local hotel today that there are many grey areas vis-à-vis polio vaccination.
In North Waziristan in particular and other FATA areas in general, polio drops were not administered among children during the last one and a half year which should be a matter of serious concern for government authorities, they added. The government needs to take immediate steps for vaccination and administration of polio drops among children, they said, adding: "Immunisation is a proven tool for controlling and eliminating life-threatening infectious diseases. It is one of the most cost-effective health investments. Vaccines can protect children by preparing anti-bodies to fight many potentially deadly diseases."
Giving briefing on Pneumonia, they said, the disease claims an innocent child's life every 30 seconds, making it the number one cause of childhood mortality in the world. In Pakistan too, it is responsible for the death of over 90,000 children of under-five annually and contributes about 18 percent to the total child deaths. Professor Dr Tariq Bhutta maintained that Pakistan would not be able to achieve Millennium Development Goal 2015 No 4, ie "To reduce under-five mortality by two-third by 2015." He said: "We would not be able to achieve this target due to the reason that vaccination which is necessary for pneumonia control has not been administered across the country."
It may be noted that Pakistani government introduced the pneumococcal vaccine last year in its Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) programme making Pakistan the first South Asian nation to provide free vaccination against pneumonia to infants. Price of each injection is Rs 6,000 but the government is providing three injections to every new born baby at the age of six, ten and fourteen weeks, free of cost.
Elaborating Dr Bhutta said out of total 8 million pneumococcal vaccine provided in Punjab, about 90 percent vaccine was administered among children as per report given by EPI Manager. In Sindh, 2 million pneumococcal vaccines were administered, while in KP and AJK 350,000 and 300,000 children were given pneumococcal vaccine. He said this vaccine is required to be administered in three doses at the age of six weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks. The aim of preventing pneumonia should be taken up as a drive by all citizens through ensuring timely visits to the EPI centres and vaccinating children against pneumonia and other deadly diseases for free, he added. Professor Dr Tahir Masood said: "A lot can be done by understanding the fact that vaccines are a child's right and in order to safeguard his future, he should be protected against pneumonia and other vaccine preventable diseases."
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