The most recent WUENIC documentation of national immunization coverage shows that Pakistan has improved its routine childhood immunization rates in 2021 and decreased the number of “zero-dose” children (ZDC) who miss out on vaccines by nearly half – a strong recovery after the number of ZDC in the country rose significantly in 2020.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Estimates of National Immunization Coverage (WUENIC), the percentage of children in Pakistan who received three doses of the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP3) vaccine in 2021 increased to 83 percent, which is close to pre-pandemic levels, following a decline in the previous year (77 percent).
Between 2018 and 2021, Pakistan increased its first dose measles vaccine coverage by 2%, and in that same year, one of the largest measles-rubella campaigns in history was begun.
A crucial indicator of how many kids receive the first, crucial dose of a vaccination is the DTP1, or first dose of the DTP vaccine. In Pakistan, there were 1 million ZDC youngsters in 2020, a considerable rise. Pakistan reduced this number in half, raising DTP1 coverage from 77% in 2020 to 83% in 2021, thanks to aggressive efforts to reach ZDC.
As of July 26th, Pakistan had received from COVAX over 111 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, or about one-third of the country’s total stockpile.
At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected basic health services, including routine immunisation, around the world, the nation’s advancements in childhood vaccination and lowering the number of children with zero doses are impressive.
