rki.news
Altaf Hamid Rao
MIRPUR (AJK) April 1 – The 4th quarter meeting of the Routine Immunization Communication Committee in Mirpur district finalized plans for upcoming vaccination programs aimed at protecting the public from life-threatening diseases, officials said Wednesday.
The meeting was chaired by District Health Officer Dr. Fida Hussain Raja, who highlighted the importance of routine immunization and upcoming polio campaigns, including the introduction of the HPV vaccine into the district’s vaccination schedule. Children in Mirpur are being immunized against 13 diseases, including tuberculosis, polio, diarrhea, typhoid fever, pneumonia, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, jaundice, measles, and rubella.
Assistant Director EPI and Secretary of the Committee Sardar Waqas Ahmed Khan delivered a multimedia briefing on routine immunization efforts, which participants praised for its organization and clarity.
Dr. Fida Hussain Raja stressed the need to intensify public awareness campaigns across print, electronic, and social media to combat negative propaganda that spreads doubt about vaccinations. He urged educational institutions, social organizations, media, local government representatives, and the public to actively support these campaigns and highlight the Public Health Department’s efforts to safeguard community health. He also emphasized mobilizing community leaders, religious institutions, and youth groups to encourage vaccination and strengthen trust in public health initiatives.
Participants assured full cooperation with vaccination campaigns conducted in collaboration with UNICEF and WHO and provided suggestions to improve future meetings. The committee also agreed to conduct follow-up monitoring visits to ensure complete coverage and timely reporting of immunization outcomes.
The meeting approved strategies to further enhance community engagement, strengthen routine immunization programs, and ensure no child is deprived of vaccines. Dr. Raja thanked all attendees for their participation and emphasized the shared responsibility of stakeholders to create a disease-free society.
The session included the participation of senior officials and representatives, including DMS Dr. Maria Zulfiqar, District Mufti Abdul Ghaffar Salafi, District Education Officers Mardana Muhammad Ishaq Mughal and Ms. Farrukh Owais, Deputy Director Local Government Muhammad Ashraf, WHO’s Noman Shahzad, and other health and community leaders.