Minister for the National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar on the day of Thursday claimed that supporting routine immunization was key priority of the government.
"Strengthening of routine immunization will consider being one of the key agenda in upcoming PM Focus Group Meeting" the minister stated while dealing the participants of Inter-agency Coordination Committee (ICC) meeting.
She shared with the proposed participants that in agreement with the directives of the Prime Minister, polio infrastructure will be merged with EPI in upcoming months to reinforce routine immunization in Pakistan.
Initially, Dr. Saqlain Ahmed Gilani, National Program Manager, EPI described the ICC members over the objectives and suggestions of the Joint Appraisal Mission.
The Joint Appraisal Mission to consider and analyze the growth of Federal and Provincial EPI programs is presently visiting Pakistan. Dr. Saqlain Ahmed Gilani apprised the meeting that the primary aim of the visit was to review and recognize issues in the routine immunization program and to set suggestions for the betterment and improvement.
The mission visited entire 4 provinces and arranged meetings with all relevant stakeholders.
The Joint Appraisal Mission contained global health professionals from the development partner agencies involving GAVI, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, World Bank, UNICEF, WHO, USAID and DFID.
The representative of Joint Appraisal Mission acknowledged the devotion of leadership to reinforce and make better the routine immunization systems in Pakistan both at federal and provincial level.
Joint Appraisal Mission more emphasized the federal and provincial EPI departments to make and finalize yearly work plans so that to determine progress in a systemic way.
Mentioning the requirement to increase synergy between EPI and polio, joint mission suggested reinforcing the linkages and interactions between EPI and PEI program for joint planning, execution and improvement of routine immunization services in Pakistan.
Interaction with communities and context particular innovations in communities was also underscored as a priority place. Members of the Joint Mission shared their uncertainty over week surveillance network in the country and asserted on its betterment.
Requirement of trained EPI staff and human resource was also demonstrated.
During the proposed ICC meeting, provincial EPI managers also reflected their development on the PC-1 for EPI programs. EPI Manager from Baluchistan acknowledged the support and devotion of the federal government in prioritizing the requirements of the Baluchistan.
EPI Managers from the provinces of Sindh and KPK also shared status of their respective PCs-1. EPI Manager Punjab shared their whole preparedness to launch Rotavirus in the Routine Immunization this very year.
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