Through effective planning and coordinated implementation by the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and its district teams, more than 108,000 under-immunized children were vaccinated.  While, this effort achieved over 90 percent coverage in high-risk urban areas and significantly reduced immunity gaps across the province. 

The Immunization Roadmap, launched under the leadership of the Chief Secretary KP, has delivered strong and measurable results within its first six months.  The initiative marks a major improvement in public health service delivery in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by strengthening accountability, modernizing service delivery systems, and accelerating progress toward universal immunization coverage. 

It reflects the Government’s strong commitment to protecting child health.  A major achievement under the roadmap was a targeted immunization campaign carried out in Peshawar in November 2025.  With close coordination between provincial and district EPI teams, the campaign successfully reached under-immunized children in high-risk urban localities and helped close critical immunity gaps. 

Director EPI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr Mehtab Khan said that routine immunization services have also improved significantly.  The Health Department upgraded vaccinator monitoring systems to track individual performance, which enhanced accountability and operational efficiency.  As a result, community outreach coverage increased from 40 percent last year to nearly 70 percent in December 2025, expanding access to life-saving vaccines across the province. 

Alongside service improvements, the Government expanded physical infrastructure and human resources.  Ten pre-fabricated EPI centers were established in underserved union councils, providing immunization services to a population of over 0.3 million.  A province-wide Big Catch-Up activity was also conducted to vaccinate children up to five years of age, further reducing immunity gaps. 

Immunization services were strengthened in hard-to-reach and geographically challenging areas.  In addition, 150 female vaccinators were deployed across the province to improve outreach, community engagement, and service accessibility.  Integrated service delivery was reinforced in security-sensitive areas to ensure continuity of essential health services. 

These achievements represent a major step forward in strengthening the provincial immunization system and protecting children from vaccine-preventable diseases.  The Government has appreciated the performance of the Provincial EPI Directorate and district teams, whose dedication and professionalism have translated policy into real public health impact across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)