The first consignment of two million doses of measles vaccine procured by World Health Organisation for Pakistan Extended Program of Immunisation (EPI) arrived in Islamabad and has been stored in the EPI cold rooms, says a press release received here on Friday.
The next consignment of the remaining 1.1 million doses is expected to arrive soon in the country. This support from WHO has been extended in response to the appeal made by the Ministry of Health last month in fear of total stock-out of measles vaccine. WHO made special arrangement for procuring 3.1 million doses of measles vaccine for EPI Pakistan to prevent the impending stock-out of the vaccine in the country.
The vaccines will be supplied in 10 doses vial with Vaccine Vial Monitor (VVM). This donation of measles vaccine will help EPI to continue its routine measles vaccination service for next three months without any interruption. Failing to vaccinate children of one month birth cohort with this vaccine might lead to about 400,000 measles cases of whom 1,000 to 4,000 might die every month.
Acknowledging procurement of routine vaccine is primarily the responsibility of the MoH, WHO extended this support only to avoid the impending crisis of measles vaccine, which could cause further havoc on the already crippling immunisation programme resulting in deaths and diseases of hundreds of thousands children.
Earlier WHO has shared its concern about the vaccine procurement process for EPI after devolution. Considering the varying degree of capacity of the provinces and challenges for procurement of vaccines having a uniform standard for safety and quality, WHO advised to continue the vaccine procurement process at the central level after devolution till appropriate capacity is developed, procurement mechanism and adequate resources are placed at every provinces.
"We believe the Ministry of Health is fully aware of the danger of interruption in routine immunisation services and whatever the process for vaccine procurement is adopted after devolution, all necessary measures are to be taken on time for ensuring procurement of all routine vaccines for the next fiscal year," said Dr Guido Sabatinelli in this regard.-PR
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