A training workshop for health beat journalists was organized in Larkana under the directives of Sindh Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho and Health Secretary Rehan Iqbal Baloch, with support from UNICEF on Saturday at Arts Council of Pakistan Larkano.
The workshop aimed to sensitize journalists about key challenges related to vaccination, including multi-dose vial management, fixed-site vaccination strategies, newly introduced vaccines (particularly the HPV vaccine for cancer prevention), and vaccine storage protocols.
The event was attended by EPI Project Director Dr. Raj Kumar, UNICEF Immunization Officer Sunil Raja, API Larkana Focal Person Dr. Irfan Sheikh, senior Karachi-based journalist Abdullah Sarohi, Larkana Senior Journalist Mushtaq Tunio (workshop coordinator), and Salahuddin Abbasi.
Key Discussions were on opened vaccine vials must be used within six hours. Sindh has adopted a fixed-site and outreach vaccination strategy, requiring parents to bring children to designated centers instead of vaccinators visiting homes, they said.
Measles has become a significant challenge not only in Sindh but across Pakistan and globally. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 10.3 million measles cases were reported worldwide in 2023. To address this, Sindh aims to vaccinate 1.77 million newborns and 1.97 million pregnant women, supported by 3,252 government vaccination centers and an extensive EPI network, they added. Operational Updates were targets, 1.77 million newborns and 1.97 million pregnant women. Facilities: 3,252 government and 271 private vaccination centers are operational, with 55 female vaccinators deployed in remote areas. Cold Chain Management, 1,938 EPI centers and 225 private centers maintain vaccine stocks.
UNICEF Immunization Officer Sunil Raja highlighted the media’s critical role in building public trust in vaccination and ensuring disease prevention through widespread coverage.