Rotary worried about lowest coverage of routine vaccination in Balochistan

  • October 18, 2015, 7:28 pm
  • Breaking News
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QUETTA: The National Chair Polio Plus Committee Rotary International Club, Dr. Aziz Memon has expressed his concern over the lowest coverage of routine immunization in Balochistan as compared to the country.
“Routine immunization is the lowest in Balochistan in Pakistan, which make the majority of the children vulnerable to even preventable life risking diseases”, noted with concern Dr. Aziz Memom while addressing an important meeting at Emergency Operation Center (EOC) Balochistan Quetta the other day. The meeting was jointly chaired by Aziz Memon and EOC Coordinator Dr. Syed Saif Ur Rehman.
The officials of UNICEF, WHO, BMGF, N-STOP and other concerned attended the meeting.
Addressing the meeting, Dr. Memon mentioned that
Rotary’s Regional head Aziz Memom said the province has the lowest immunization as merely 16 percent children across the province are fully immunized which is evident that the majority of the children can easily contract any disease which could take their life. “Many years ago, Rotary installed containers equipped with all facilities near Pak-Afghan Friendship Gate but the container was removed from the ideal location,” he said. “I think the government needs to sort out the issue and talk to Army officials in order to ensure that every child at Pak-Afghan is vaccinated because without ensuring hundred percent coverage at transit points, it is hard to get good results.”
He urged that there shall not be any issue with security as polio is the largest challenge. Aziz Memon said the missed children is the bigger challenge than refusals and it is the time to improve the performance.
“The Rotary International will provide resources whatever they needed but need surety that these resources are being used for the purpose they are allocated,” he said in plain words.
Memon said it was good decision to appoint one of the best officers as Coordinator in Balochistan which gave us a hope that Balochistan might be the first province to be declared as “polio free province”.
He said the Rotary International will help in provision of shelters, umbrellas, kits for Community Health Volunteers (CHVs), Cold Chain maintenance equipment for vaccines and other resources which Rotary asked for. Memon assured all the support to EOC Balochistan.
He said that the Rotary International is committed to provide every possible resources to improve the state of healthcare in the province, particularly eradicating polio from the province.
Aziz Memon announced that Rotary international will help to establish Health Camps in Balochistan in order to improve the healthcare in the province where majority of the children are vulnerable to preventable diseases.
“I have confidence in the leadership of Dr. Syed Saif Ur Rehman and I do not hesitate to say that Balochistan got the best person and it is likely that the province will be the first to be declared polio free.”
Speaking on the occasion, the EOC Coordinator Dr. Syed Saif Ur Rehman informed the meeting about the 46 functional transit points in Balochistan and flow of the moving population. The meeting was not satisfied by the placement and facilities at Pak-Afghan Friendship Gate in Chaman and the lack of facilities in other transit points.

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