Author: EPI Admin

“My son was an angel – he had a short life in which he positively influenced the lives of many children,” said a teary-eyed Yousaf Khan, father of Sajidullah, 25, a local Vaccine Hero from Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who lost his life in a road accident in April 2019 – as he was on duty for his regular outreach visits.

The elaborate plan of resource mobilization to maximize the benefits of the existing facilities was complemented by effective awareness raising communication campaigns to increase demand for routine immunization. This allowed Dr Zakir and his team to push the immunization coverage of Bahawalpur district to 91% in 2018. “I still believe in the power of prevention and that we can cover that remaining 9%,” he laughed, “it is no longer a job, but a passion for me now.”

It has been 27 years and they have become my family now,” claims Fareed, a 55-year old vaccinator working for the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in the challenging area of Kati Pahari, Karachi.