KANDHKOT - Immunisation is a child's first line of defense against life-threatening diseases, such as measles, polio hepatitis, tetanus, whooping cough, and mumps, although the timely vaccination provides protection for infants as well young children.
From the moment a baby is born, their immune system is still developing, making them more vulnerable to infections. Vaccines stimulate the body to develop immunity against specific diseases without causing the illness itself. For example, the polio vaccine prevents paralysis caused by the poliovirus, while the measles vaccine protects against severe complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis.
Similarly vaccines against hepatitis and tetanus protect infants from life-threatening conditions that could otherwise prove fatal. This is especially important for infants, elderly people, and those with weak immune systems who are more vulnerable to severe illness. Similarly vaccines against measles and hepatitis save millions of lives each year. However Global health authorities such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasize the importance of following the full immunization schedule promptly. According to medical history, Immunization among children is most effective preventative measures. It is fact that parents are solely responsible for taking care of their children especially protecting them through vaccine preventable diseases. Morever various studies indicate that a majority of parents in Pakistan's rural regions lack awareness about the significance of immunizing their children. Nevertheless the government has been relatively inactive in conducting seminars, awareness campaigns, and events to educate the public about deadly diseases like measles, polio, hepatitis and whooping cough which remain prevalent nationwide. According to various medical research reports, the high number of children who are not unvaccinated intentionally by their careless and uneducated parents being unknown to repercussions of such fatal diseases such as polio which paralyzes the children forever. Due to non proper awareness among people they are not aware of significance of vaccines and their effective role against prevention of viral diseases. When this this scribe approached to renowned child specialists of Kashmore they told that vaccines are the safest way in protecting children from serious and deadly diseases such as polio, measles, mumps, whooping cough, malaria and others.
To protect to children from above mentioned diseases, it is dire need to vaccinate the children on timely basis. In case of refusal that may make your child vulnerable to these diseases and his health will be on high risk. In case if any child fall sick the doctor must be aprised of the vaccination status that wether the child has been vaccinated or not.
According to medical experience children must be vaccinated before attending to school they added. Notably in Europe, the majority of infants are fully vaccinated at birth and continue their immunizations according to schedules advised by healthcare professionals. Even when moving to another country, parents must keep their child's vaccination booklet, as the immunization schedule may differ from one place to another. Additionally Governments may take strict action including fines against parents who do not adhere to these rules. Pakistan introduced the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in 1978 to safeguard children by vaccinating them against serious and long-lasting diseases, including poliomyelitis, tuberculosis, tetanus, pertussis, and more. Federal Ministry of health services supported for the program from period of 2004 to 2009, while it ensured provision of vaccines, transport and awareness campaigns throughout Pakistan. But nowadays WHO and UNICEF are directly executing and managing EPI through health department of various provinces of country and giving their experts input in managing the program properly. At district level the district coordinator of EPI program monitors and executes the immunization through the network of UC coordinatora appointed by UNICEF through development partners such as SIDAT Haider and other NGOs through COMnet project. Even on polio day private persona are hired on daily wages basis to administer polio campaigns twice a month such private polio workers are unknown to vaccine preservation technics that may be very harmful for the children which are being vaccinated by them. Since they don't follow proper preservation manual of vaccines even they don't wear gloves while vaccinating the children.