Provincial Minister for Health Khalil Tahir Sindhu has said that lives of about 1,000 children below five years of age are saved in Pakistan daily through immunisation. He said that annually Rs 23 billion being spent on immunisation in Punjab. He said that government is providing free of cost immunisation facility against nine diseases of children and people should get benefit from this facility and ensure completion of routine immunisation course of their children for creating a healthy society.
He expressed these views while giving media briefing on the occasion of World Immunisation Day, here Sunday. Secretary Health Hassan Iqbal, DG Health Dr Zahid Pervaiz, Director Health (EPI) Dr Munir Ahmed, EDO Health Lahore, Dr Zulfiqar and other senior officers of the department were present in the briefing. Health Minister further said that government is spending rupees three thousands on average on immunisation of each child. Khalil Tahir Sindhu further said that international partners, GAVI, UNICEF, JICA and other donors agencies were fully supporting immunisation programme in Punjab.
Health Minister urged upon media to extend their full support to counter the negative propaganda against vaccination. He said that media support is needed for advocacy to increase immunisation coverage. He said that vaccines are safe and used across the world and there are no negative effects of these vaccines. While responding to a question, he said that weaknesses in routine immunisation system are being removed and government is focusing on strengthening of Primary health care system and improving the routine immunisation coverage in remote districts.