Experts Urged To Counsel Parents For Immunizing Against MMR, Polio: JSMU

KARACHI: Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU) recently organized an awareness session for caregivers about the current immunization campaign against Measles and Rubella, on the theme of ‘Opportunities and Threats: Role of Healthcare Providers’.

Dr Rahat Naz, the Director of Continuing Medical Education, organized this session as part of the Pakistan Paediatric Association (PPA) campaign.

She thanked the Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Shahid Rasul and Registrar Dr Azam Khan for their full support in combating the fatal diseases and assured the PPA of JSMU’s full cooperation.

“The Sindh Government’s campaign aims to reach out to every child aged between 9 months and 15 years old across the province for MMR and Polio drops to children aged between 0-5 years,” said Dr Khalid Shafi, Secretary-General of Pakistan Paediatric Association and Associate Professor at the Department of Community Medicine, Dow University of Health Sciences. He was invited as a guest speaker.

Dr Khalid explained to the participants that all children, including those immunized before, must also be immunized during this campaign. He asked them to assure the parents about the safety and efficacy of the vaccines.

‘In 2019, Sindh reported 147 Polio cases, 84 in 2020; so far, only 1 case has been reported in Sindh. This is the nearest Sindh has ever reached in eradicating Polio.’ said the official.

According to PPA, 67,000 outreach vaccination teams will vaccinate children at under-served and high-risk populated areas and set vaccination centres in communities, Madrassahs, and Schools to reach its target.