Karachi: Sindh Minister for Health and Population Welfare Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho in a meeting with Aga Khan University’s senior project lead, Dr. Shehla Zaidi discuss how to better engage private providers in immunisation as well as preventative healthcare. 

AKU, Secretary Health, Zulfiqar Shah and Parliamentary Secretary Health Qasim Siraj Soomro were in attendance. She said that covering all birthing stations is a priority for goal of immunisation and that while government can provide vaccines free of cost, external support is required in hiring and training more vaccinators. 

Dr. Azra Pechuho said that EPI is working on extending their hours so as to better accommodate working population that may not be able to access health centres before 5 pm. 

Communication and counselling is one of areas where there needs to be more focus. Parents must be informed what vaccine is for and what its side effects can be, she added. 

Dr. Shehla Zaidi presented positives of private providers administering vaccines as they are able to provide this service after business hours, there is more trust towards private providers as well so their target base is wider and as this project is with AKU and service will be sustained unlike that of NGOs that depend on donors and grants. 

Dr. Shehla Zaidi informed the meeting that those who handle babies will be registered under this project and they will be trained by EPI to provide the birth dose vaccine and the follow up vaccines as well. 

Project will be targeting 8 high risk UCs, 18 accredited private EPI centres in refusal areas, every centre will have its own outreach network where they will recruit community influencers, reporting will be done with EPI registry.

Published in The Daily National Courier, August, 17 2022

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