The civil society; increasing access and reach.

Byline: Huma Khawar

Why is Personal Protective Equipment necessary for a vaccinator? What are the Standard Operating Procedures for conducting an immunisation session? What message should be given out to the caregiver who brings the child for vaccination?

Dr Nauman Ahmed Khan, Technical Officer WHO, was patiently responding to the volley of questions during a training session on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) amid COVID-19; a timely exercise carried out for civil society organisations working on immunisation and child health.

Conducted via Zoom, the 'new normal' during the pandemic, the use of technology made it possible for more than two dozen civil society organisations from far-flung and remote areas to virtually participate.

Dr Khan explained how CSOs can support the government in maintaining the continuity of immunisation services under safe conditions to avoid potential outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases amongst children.

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As a result of the ongoing pandemic, Pakistan has faced disruption in essential immunisation services. The situation entails that a significant proportion of children may be left unvaccinated, which would not only drop immunisation coverage, but lead to extensive outbreaks of diseases with high morbidity and mortality like polio, measles and diphtheria.

According to the UNICEF website, two-thirds of children in Pakistan missed routine immunisation in April 2020 as compared to January, increasing the risk of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks, which could lead to an increase in child mortality. Almost 40 million children under the age of five children missed out on their polio immunisation as the nationwide April campaign had to be postponed.

The training also gave CSO representatives an opportunity to vent their feelings. CSOs do not have, or ensure continuous funding but they are expected to deliver and demonstrate charity services on an uninterrupted basis.

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Many CSOs are entrusted and tasked for distributing cash and essential food items to the daily laborers, poor and needy affected by the lockdown. However, it is felt that the potential of CSOs is largely underutilized. Their role is far more than just ration distribution.

Earlier, the federal government had rejected registration applications of many civil society organisations as Pakistan, under strict scrutiny tightened control...