ISLAMABAD - The Ministry for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination on Wednesday launched a comprehensive Multi Year Strategic Plan for Immunisation (cMYP) 2014-2018 on child immunisation.
This comprehensive plan is a part of the wider commitment for saving lives through immunisation, said Minister of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar while inaugurating the plan.
cMYP is a package of nine separate comprehensive Multi-Year Plan Documents developed with mutual consultation of Federal and Provincial Governments and Development Partners for all Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) entities at Federal, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Baluchistan, AJ&K, Gilgit Baltistan, FATA and Islamabad, she explained.
She said the Ministry is committed to increasing immunisation coverage, improving sustainability of immunisation services, improving public perception about immunisation and introduction of new vaccine such as Rota and PCV( pneumonia vaccine) for children.
'Each Plan has been developed in line with local needs proposing locally appropriate solutions. The exercise served as an opportunity for federal and provincial health personnel to work together with collective nationwide wisdom', she remarked.
She while highlighting the importance and significance of this initiative said, 'we would make immunisation programme more vibrant and effective.’ She also urged monitoring and accountability as government has spent hundreds of millions rupees on immunisation. Unfortunately, daily 600 children die of different disease and our aim is to bring this figure down, she said.
Earlier, Dr Ala Alwan in his remarks congratulated the stakeholders on developing the strategy. "This plan has set the direction of immunisation in Pakistan for the next five years. By setting direction and agreeing with provinces on priorities, actions and probable financing required for immunisation, the Government of Pakistan has reinforced its commitment to strengthening routine immunisation in the country" said Dr. Ala Alwan.
The ceremony was told that the plan presents a financial framework linking availability of resources with immunisation performance targets. The plan provides an overall description of achievements and expected developments in immunisation by consolidating sub-national cMYP into one narrative and effecting cohesion and synergised working of all stakeholders across the country.
The Launch was attended by Regional Director, WHO Dr Ala Alwan, Secretary, Ministry of NHSRC, Rashida Malik, officers from Provincial Health Departments and development partners.