Dr Azra, US envoy launch Covid vaccine drive for children
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Karachi: Sindh Minister for Health and Population Welfare Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho and DCM US Embassy Islamabad Andrew Schofer inaugurated campaign to vaccinate children aged 5 to 11 in Sindh. Representatives from WHO, UNICEF, Paediatric Association, EPI and EOC were also in attendance.
Campaign will continue from September 10 till 24 and will target 2.4 million children in first round. In Sindh total urban population in this age group is 3.6 million and overall number of children between 5-11 years is 6 million. Due to being incidences of Covid in children, first phase of campaign will be focusing on Karachi districts mainly.
Dr. Azra Pechuho said that schools will be main site for vaccinating children, SOPs to accommodate them have been provided. These include special smaller dose for covid vaccine, insulin syringes (that are thinner and less painful than regular syringes), ensuring that children are vaccinated one by one and that AEFI is closely monitored. Number of HR engaged in this campaign is 16,000.
She said that to avoid refusals from parents, education department and paediatric association has conducted awareness campaigns to sensitise parents and inform them of need to vaccinate their children and protect them from Covid.
There are a total of 4371 teams, with 3 people in each team, 3,804 outreach teams, 536 fixed centre teams, 31 mobile teams, 255 AEFI Focal persons, 874 1st level supervisors, 58 second level supervisors and 29 data entry operators. Schofer informed meeting that there are 8 million doses of paediatric Covid vaccine dose and 8 million more doses will be arriving in October.
Sindh Health Minister added that Pfizer vaccine has been studied extensively and numerous trials with its adult and child vaccine had been carried out so it is a safe and reliable vaccine that is integral for protection of children against Covid.
Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 20 2022
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