The Health Department is going to launch a special vaccination drive from October 07 aimed at immunizing children below five years of age against 12 different life-threatening and deadly diseases.
According to details, this campaign would target all children below five years of age who have not yet received any vaccinations or have not completed their vaccination course due to any reason.
During this campaign, children would be administered vaccines against 12 infectious diseases including measles, diphtheria, meningitis, typhoid, diarrhea, dysentery, severe pneumonia and others.
In this regard, a meeting was held on Tuesday in Deputy Commissioner’s office under the chair of Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Adnan Jamil which was also attended by District Health Officer Dr. Syed Muhammad Mehsud, Dr. Abdullah (WHO staff), EPI Coordinator Dr. Irfan Aziz, WHO EPI Coordinator Dr. Osama Shabbir and others.
During the meeting, District Health Officer Dr. Syed Muhammad Mehsud informed that this campaign would focus on vaccinating children under 5 years of age who have either not completed their vaccination schedule or have not completed their vaccination course.
During the campaign, he explained, the health teams would visit various areas, including community centers (hujras), Masajid, Schools and nearby health centers.
He urged upon the parents to ensure their children receive these life-saving vaccines during the campaign.
Speaking on this occasion, ADC Adnan Jamil stated that the district administration would play an active role in this important campaign to ensure protection of children from these deadly diseases.
Separately, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Health Card Balochistan Dr. Samiullah Kakar on Tuesday said that the government is utilizing all available resources to provide health facilities to the people.
He expressed these views while chairing a meeting with MS Dr. Sultan Lahri of Helper Eye Hospital, MS Dr. Ishaq Panizai of Civil Hospital Quetta, consultants of the medical faculty, cardiology, gynecology and surgery departments.
Dr. Samiullah Kakar said that the process of treating patients through health card in Helper Eye Hospital Quetta was stalled for the last 8 months which has been started.
He said that Cardiac Department and other 11 specialties in Civil Hospital Quetta have committed to continue providing quality health services to the poor and deserving people of Balochistan through Health Card Program.
He also assured the consultants that the health card program would provide full support to the consultants saying that collective efforts are very important for the success of the health card program.
Dr, Sami said that the misunderstandings regarding the health card have been removed in Bolan Medical Hospital and treatment of patients through health card has been formally started.
Soon 24/7 services at BMCH will be fully available for patients on health card, he noted.
He said that health services would be provided absolutely free through the health card so that every individual, especially the poor and needy could easily access the best treatment.
This project is a significant step towards strengthening and stabilizing the health system of the province which will improve the lives of thousands of patients, he said.
He said that free treatment facility has been provided to more than 90 thousand patients in more than 1200 hospitals across the country through health card.
The provincial government has doubled the health budget to provide basic health facilities to the people, he maintained.
He said that health card services would be extended to all hospitals in the province soon, people should take full advantage of the facility of health card and in case of any complaint, register their complaint on the health card helpline.