Expressing concern over surge in cases of measles across Punjab and Sindh, health professionals have called for immunization of children to help overcome the deadly diseases in children. In a press briefing held to mark the 'World Immunization Week', the pediatricians highlighted the theme of "protected together" to raise awareness about the 19 million children who do not have access to vaccination globally.
Dr Haroon Hamid, General Secretary, Pakistan Pediatric Association (PPA) Punjab said: "Two to three million children die of preventable diseases only because they are unable to get vaccinated. Therefore, parents should never compromise on immunization of their children as it saves them from illness, disability and death from vaccine-preventable diseases."
While talking about facts of the deadliest preventable diseases in Pakistan, Dr Agha Shabbir, Head of Department of Pediatrics, Lahore General Hospital stated: "We have to increase the coverage rate and scope of vaccination in Pakistan. Recently, the provincial government has added Rotavirus vaccine in EPI program which is a commendable step as it leads to hospitalization of one out of three infants and almost every child gets infected with Rotavirus by their 5th birthday.
It may be noted that in Pakistan, Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) was established in 1978, EPI currently aims to vaccinate approximately six million children aged 0-11 months against 10 target diseases: childhood tuberculosis, polio, diphtheria, diarrhea, hepatitis-b, aemophilus influenza type b (hib), pneumonia, measles and tetanus.
Dr Naeem Zafar, Head of Child Rights at University of Lahore and Convener Child Rights Committee of PPA spoke about the role of vaccination in reducing disease burden. He said: "Life-threatening infectious diseases can be treated and controlled through immunization which also reduces disease burden. Vaccines also play a major role in eliminating and preventing diseases including diphtheria, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, pertussis (whooping cough), pneumonia, polio, rotavirus diarrhea, rubella and tetanus."
Every year due to vaccines, approximately 3,000,000 deaths are prevented. Immunization is estimated to save 2-3 million lives every year. An estimated 19.5 million infants worldwide are still missing out on basic vaccines. If the optimum rates of immunization or "herd immunity" are not maintained, the diseases prevented by vaccination will return, he added.