Communicable diseases: Need for collaboration to create awareness stressed

ISLAMABAD: The Director General (DG) Health of Federal Directorate of Immunization (FDI) has stressed the need for close collaboration between the government agencies and the civil society organisations (CSOs) to create awareness on various communicable viral diseases including poliovirus.

Speaking at an event, Dr Shabana Saleem, DG Health FDI here on Tuesday said that SCOs engagement will help bridge remaining gaps in routine immunisation coverage, especially in remote and underserved areas through advocacy, demand generation, and service delivery.

The meeting marked the beginning of a transformative phase in Pakistan’s Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), highlighting the significant role CSOs can play in reaching underserved populations.

Dr Saleem welcomed representatives from CSOs, partner organisations, and the EPI community, expressing gratitude to Gavi, Mannion Daniels (MD), Oxford Policy Management (OPM), and the 17 selected CSOs from all the four provinces for their commitment and participation.

“CSOs bring community trust, local knowledge, and grassroots presence, making them essential partners in strengthening our immunisation programme,” said Dr Saleem.

These CSOs will play a pivotal role in identifying “zero-dose” children, mobilising communities, and extending EPI services where they are needed most. The CSOs will operate as a vital extension of national and provincial EPI systems.

Federal and provincial governments’ leadership in CSO engagement exemplifies how strategic collaboration can drive higher immunisation coverage. Through the government’s strong commitment to work closely with CSOs at the provincial level, the immunisation programme will be further strengthened to reach more children, especially those that have proven hardest to reach, stated Carrie Madison Gheen, Senior Country Manager, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

Karen Stephenson, Team Lead for the CSO Fund Manager Mechanism at Mannion Daniels stated: “We are delighted that thanks to the collaboration with the FDI and Provincial partners, a diverse range of civil society organizations are now able to support Pakistan’s efforts to increase immunization coverage. Civil society organizations will be able to deliver meaningful results together with the communities they work in.”

Under Gavi’s CSO Fund Manager Mechanism, Mannion Daniels and Oxford Policy Management are responsible for delivering fund management services. To date, this has involved a rigorous independent shortlisting and due diligence process including consultation with federal and provincial EPI leadership. This resulted in the selection of 17 CSOs to support immunisation efforts across Pakistan.

Following this shortlisting and selection process, the CSO Fund Manager Mechanism in Pakistan now enters the grant implementation phase. At this point, Dr Saleem emphasised the importance of coordination between CSOs, the FDI, Provincial EPIs, and development partners.

“Clear KPIs and robust monitoring frameworks will guide this initiative to ensure transparency, accountability, and measurable results,” she stated. “I urge all CSO partners to embrace this responsibility with integrity and commitment.”

Dr Saleem thanked all participants for their dedication. “Together, let’s make this partnership a model of how governments and civil society can work hand in hand to ensure every child in Pakistan receives life-saving vaccines, regardless of geography or background.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025