The World Immunisation Week is being celebrated globally from April 21-28, 2012 to enhance awareness of the benefits of vaccination. Immunisation is one of the most cost-effective public health interventions.
The Pakistan Medical Association in 2011 estimated that 400,000 children in Pakistan die within the first year of life. The overall figure for deaths due to vaccine preventable diseases in Pakistan may well be substantially higher as they estimated that one child dies every minute from vaccine preventable diseases. Pakistan has also suffered immensely by a historically inadequate health care budget. A report by the Pakistan Medical Association revealed that only 0.23 percent of the GDP was spent on health care during the FY 2011-12. Thus, the economic burden on families who require hospital treatment for vaccine preventable diseases is very high.
In addition, Pakistan is one of the three countries in the world still struggling to eradicate Polio, a vaccine preventable disease. Furthermore, the vaccination coverage for routine vaccines given under the Expanded Program on Immunisation is as low as 30 percent in some districts. Investment in health care is a significant factor in the overall national development of any country. While our governments have consistently failed to invest in health, we as responsible citizens must also play a more proactive role. Various global occasions receive widespread media coverage but the same cannot be said for Immunisation Week. We urge all readers to take active steps to raise awareness at individual and community level for immunisation.
WAQAS AHMAD
Karachi
