Senior infections control experts have called for urgent realization on part of masses as well as healthcare providers about importance of vaccination as an efficient tool to prevent series of infections taking heavy toll on public health.
Addressing a session organized by Medical Mi-crobiology and Infectious Diseases Society of Paki-stan (MMIDSP) the speakers reiterated that emer-gence of new infections coupled with surge in the incidence of already identified infectious diseases in the country, demanded urgent focus on prevention oriented healthcare approach.
Dr. Bushra Jamil, Dr.Fyezah Jehan, Dr. Rehana Siddiqui, Dr.Ali Faisal Salim and Dr. Sunil Dodani emphasized need to dispel public misconceptions about readily available “vaccines” including oral polio vaccine (OPV) and injectable polio vaccine (IPV) as well as that of typhoid conjugate vaccine and flu shots.
These were cited to be as the most effective tools to prevent some of the most rampant infections posing sever threat to the public life, particularly the children.
Agreeing with the fact that improved sanitation and sewerage system along with comprehensive measures to combat pollution (atmospheric/water) were needed to combat the menace of these dis-eases, the expert said the above mentioned vaccines were interventions that could make immediate dif-ference.
Speakers called for strengthening the routine immunization program for children in the country reiterating that absolute commitment was required at every level for the sake of a healthy nation.
“Ours is the country still struggling with the po-lio menace while countries like India and Bangla-desh with almost similar problems as that of ours managed to achieve zero polio prevalence and sus-tain the same years ago,” said Dr. Ali Faisal Saleem.
He was of the opinion that there was no reason that Pakistan may not win its battle against the crip-pling disease through sheer would and commitment towards the cause.—APP
