Minister for improving immunisation to achieve SDGs

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Khawaja Imran Nazir said here on Thursday that strengthening routine immunisation is key to achieving Pakistan’s goals of universal and primary healthcare as well as larger sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Speaking at the WHO supported workshop on ‘Development of provincial immunisation strategic framework 2025-30’ at a local hotel, the minister highlighted that improving routine immunisation was key to meeting Pakistan’s bigger challenges like polio eradication, measles elimination and development of robust, sensitive and responsive surveillance systems to control outbreaks and epidemics. He added that through consultation and collective wisdom of government and partner experts, the EPI Punjab was able to evolve a comprehensive immunisation strategy for the next five years.

Present in the workshop were Head of Office WHO Punjab Dr Jamshaid Ahmed, EPI Director Dr Samra Khurram, technical experts from the Federal Directorate of Immunisation, WHO, UNICEF and BMGF and programme managers from the primary and secondary healthcare department. Also joining the activity were representatives from IRMNCH, Emergency Operations Centre, district officials, Acasus and JHPEIGO. The minister emphasised the need for setting yearly and quarterly measurable targets with short and long-term goals.

‘I appreciate EPI for developing the five-year strategy and want other programmes to do the same. We need to create awareness in community that Punjab provides free vaccination to children below five years of age for 12 fatal diseases.