Lahore, March 15: In a PILDAT briefing session on Critical Need to Improve Immunization & Draft Legislation for compulsory Immunization, experts believed that a committee of MPAs should be constituted especially for monitoring of performance of immunization campaign in Punjab. They stressed on the public representatives to play their role in creating awareness among the masses.

Dr. Asad Ashraf, Former Chairman, Chief Minister�s Task force on health chaired the session while he was joined by Dr. Naeen Ullah from UNICEF and Dr. Usman Ahmed Khan from provincial EPI division, and Mr. Faheem Ahmed Khan, Projects Manager, PILDAT.

Dr. Asad Ashraf, while speaking on the occasion appreciated the role of PILDAT in highlighting issues of national importance. He said that public representatives, media and religious leaders should play their role in creating awareness among the masses and to overcome misconceptions. He also directed the Director General Health Punjab to ensure that the local public representatives should be informed and included in all the immunization campaigns launched in the future.

Dr. Naeem Ullah, while explaining the importance of Immunization, said that with help of immunization we have been able to control measles. He said that unfortunately polio still exists in Pakistan and now we face international sanctions if steps are not taken to eradicate the menace.

Dr. Usman Ahmed Khan, briefed the session about importance of immunization. He said that Pakistan is one of the only four countries in the world where polio still exists, and Pakistan is the only country where number of polio cases is on the rise. He said that in 2010, out of 140 polio cases, 28 cases were detected in KPK, 74 in FATA and 27 in Sindh, whereas Punjab only reported 7. He also informed that in 2011, so far no case has been reported from Punjab. He requested Parliamentarians to play their role in creating awareness among masses and monitoring the performance of administration. He suggested that a committee of MPAs should be constituted especially for monitoring of performance of immunization campaign.

Ms. Fauzia Behram during the course of discussion said that there was a need of involving the women wings of all the political parties for maximum out reach.

Ms. Shahmeela Aslam proposed that there was a need for capacity building of the vaccinators and the compensation package for these lady workers should be enhanced so that they may perform their duties efficiently.

The briefing session was attended by 37 members of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab.