KARACHI: The Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) launched the third round of the province-wide ‘Big Catch-up’ vaccination campaign on Monday, targeting 1.5 million children—especially those aged 2 to 5 years—who missed routine immunisations in recent years.
Originally scheduled for July 14, the campaign was delayed due to monsoon forecasts and will now run for 24 days across 1,128 union councils in Sindh.
Extensive Manpower Deployed
EPI has mobilised a massive workforce for the drive, including:
- 3,650 vaccinators
- 3,650 team assistants
- 7,300 social mobilisers (two per team)
- 921 first-level field supervisors
- 130 tehsil-level supervisors
- 120 district-level data entry operators
The strategy and logistics were finalised in a high-level meeting attended by Sindh Health Secretary Rehan Iqbal Baloch, Additional EPI Director Dr Sohail Raza Shaikh, EPI Sindh Programme Director Dr Raj Kumar, and other partners including Emergency Operations Coordinator Irshad Sodhar.
Campaign Aims to Reverse Pandemic-Era Immunisation Gap
Officials highlighted that childhood immunisation in Sindh had declined significantly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted vaccine supply chains and health services. Vaccine hesitancy has also widened the immunisation gap, leaving many children vulnerable.
“This campaign is a crucial step towards achieving universal immunisation coverage in Sindh, ensuring that no child is left behind,” said an EPI official. “It will help reduce child mortality and morbidity and strengthen the province’s public health system.”
Urgent Need Highlighted by Measles and Diphtheria Deaths
Sindh has witnessed alarming outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases in recent years:
- In 2024, at least 132 children died from measles, with over 13,000 suspected and 6,670 confirmed cases across 149 outbreaks, including 18 in Karachi.
- The same year, 40 children lost their lives to diphtheria, with cases reported in three Karachi districts, Larkana, and Dadu.
The ongoing threat of polio, which continues to resurface in various parts of Pakistan, including Sindh, further underscores the importance of strengthening routine immunisation.
This renewed push through the ‘Big Catch-up’ is seen as vital to preventing further loss of life and securing the health of Sindh’s youngest citizens.
