Punjab Health Minister Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal on Monday announced launching of mass-scale awareness campaign in as many as 53 tehsils of the 13 districts of the Punjab to strengthen Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI).
Addressing a press conference in the presence of Health Secretary Javed Malik, Health Director General Dr Muhammad Aslam Chaudhry and representatives of Unicef and WHO, he said the polio drops immunisation campaign would continue till the complete eradication of this disease. Out of total 36 polio cases registered in the country, only two cases were reported in the province, which reflects the success of polio eradication campaign, he added.
The Expanded Programme on Immunisation aims at reducing morbidity, disabilities and mortality caused by seven vaccine preventable diseases namely Childhood Tuberculosis, Poliomyelitis, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Measles, Neonatal Tetanus and Hepatitis-B. In addition, all pregnant women are vaccinated against tetanus.
The priority targets of the programme are polio eradication followed by elimination of neo-natal tetanus and measles. The programme was started in 1978 as a pilot project included in accelerated health programme in 1983 and integrated into regular health services 1985 while vaccination against Hepatitis-B was included in 2002 in the programme.