KARACHI: Health experts have urged to increase the EPI coverage to get children protected against deadly diseases. Vaccines play a major role in eliminating and preventing diseases. Vaccines are available free of cost at Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) centers so parents can get their children vaccinated from there to take protection from unnecessary suffering. They informed this during a media briefing held in Karachi. The event was organized by President Pakistan Pediatric Association (PPA) to mark the world marks world immunization week. World Immunization Week, which is held from 24-30 April 2017, aims to raise awareness about the critical importance of full immunization throughout life, and its role in achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Experts said as world marks global immunization week, Pakistan is battling with very low coverage of immunization and vaccination, with Sindh standing at 35 percent only. “In Sindh, EPI coverage stands at 35 percent whereas there are 20 percent of children who did not have received any vaccination,” said Prof. Jamal Raza, President Pakistan Pediatric Association (PPA) for Sindh. Similarly these figures vary from area to area as urban areas are comparatively better than the rural. For instance in some rural areas the immunization coverage stands below 20 percent. Dr Raza who is also Director of National Institute of Child Health (NICH) Karachi further said lot of focus is given on polio nowadays but the once polio is eliminated from Pakistan, the satiability would only be possible if there would be strong routine immunization. Otherwise polio would relapse. “With the poor performance with coverage area of only 35 percent, donors are even reluctant to give further vaccine which is very expansive,” he added. Dr. Khalid Shafi, Secretary General, PPA Sindh and Associate Professor at DUHS, said that 27 percent deaths in children under five can be prevented through vaccines. “It is high time to increase the reach and scope of EPI. Although the standard of EPI centers are not up to mark however in given circumstances the coverage ratio is very low,” Dr Safi added. Experts said although EPI program is being running for the past 32 years, yet awareness in general public about the program is very low. People need to be educated about the importance and availability of vaccines at EPI centers. EPI was launched in Pakistan in 1978 and currently it is providing vaccinations against 9 diseases including tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, measles, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) and Pneumococcal disease. Another speaker Prof. Jalal Akbar, President PPA Karachi Chapter said vaccines protect children by preparing their bodies to fight many potentially deadly diseases. “They are responsible to control many infectious diseases that were once common around the world, including smallpox, polio, measles, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), rubella (German measles), mumps, tetanus, and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib),” said Jalal. Dr. Mushtaq Memon, Secretary General PPA Central, said every year, globally, Pneumonia kills an estimated 1.2 million children under the age of five years, more than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. Rotavirus gastroenteritis is estimated to cause more than half a million child deaths. Two billion people are infected with Hepatitis B virus and about 780,000 people die. All of these can be prevented through vaccination and immunization,’ added Dr Mushtaq.