Staff Reporter
Peshawar:
Through effective planning and coordinated implementation by the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and its district teams, more than 108,000 under-immunized and zero-dose children have been vaccinated across the province. The initiative achieved over 90 percent coverage in high-risk urban areas and significantly reduced immunity gaps province-wide.
The Immunization Roadmap, launched under the leadership of the Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has delivered strong and measurable results within its first six months. The initiative has strengthened accountability, modernized service delivery systems, and accelerated progress toward universal immunization coverage, reflecting the government’s firm commitment to protecting child health.
A major achievement under the roadmap was a targeted immunization campaign conducted in Peshawar in November 2025. Through 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 routine immunization services have also shown marked improvement. He noted that the Health Department upgraded vaccinator monitoring systems to track individual performance, leading to enhanced accountability and operational efficiency. As a result, community outreach coverage increased from 40 percent last year to nearly 70 percent by December 2025, significantly expanding access to life-saving vaccines.
Alongside service delivery improvements, the government also 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 300,000. In addition, a province-wide Big Catch-Up activity was successfully conducted to vaccinate children up to five years of age, further reducing immunity gaps.
Immunization services were also strengthened in hard-to-reach and geographically challenging areas. To enhance outreach and community engagement, 150 female vaccinators were deployed across the province. Integrated service delivery models were further reinforced in security-sensitive areas to ensure continuity of essential health services.
These achievements mark a significant 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 tangible public health gains across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
