VITAL VICTORY EVENT- Celebrating 100,000 child...

Vital Pakistan Trust and SINA togetherhave provided routine immunization services to more than 100,000 children during the last 18 months in Karachi. This achievement highlights Vital Pakistan Trust’s and SINA’s role in the Health and Development sector in achieving Goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goal 2030 i.e. Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages.

To celebrate this great achievement of 100,000 child immunizations, an event titled “Vital Victory” was held at the Marriott Hotel on the 24th of February. This was achieved through the joint efforts of SINA and Vital Pakistan Trust (VPT).

The honourable Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, Minister of Health and Population Welfare Department, was the Chief Guest on the occasion. She greatly appreciated the efforts of Vital Pakistan Trust and SINA. About maternal health, she said “Unfortunately, in Pakistan we are still at that stage when we have maternal death. This should not be the case. Women should not be dying while giving birth. Maternal mortality is not acceptable, and for that I would like for us to get together and work towards institutionalizing deliveries, giving the best quality maternal care, and seeing that every mother gets the care that is required. Everyone must come together and work for the people of Pakistan”.

Other notables present at the event included Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Shah, Secretary Health, Dr. Shershah Syed, renowned physician and surgeon known for his work in obstetrics and maternal health, Dr. Yasmeen Qazi, Senior Country Advisor on Family Planning & Maternal and Child Health from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Ms. Shahnaz Wazir Ali (S.I.) Technical Coordinator for Primary Health Care and Family Planning programs for the Government of Sindh, Mr. Qasim Soomro, Parliamentary Secretary and Dr. Fyezah Jehan Chairperson, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health from Aga Khan University.

Dr. Irshad Memon, Project Director of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), was also present on the occasion and addressed the audience. He said “Political policy and commitment make a difference. This is the right moment to move all our resources to help our beloved Karachi. But the Government alone cannot do it. The government is here is to extend all its support to organizations such as Vital Pakistan Trust”.

Mr. Imran Nisar, Chairman of the Board, Vital Pakistan Trust, Mr. Akbar Rajani, CEO Vital Pakistan Trust, and Dr. Rakhshanda Ishaque, Senior Technical Team from Vital Pakistan Trust, Dr. Naseeruddin Mehmood, Trustee SINA and Ms. Ambareen Thompson, CEO Sina greatly appreciated the efforts of the immunization team that consisted of 300 members that worked in the urban slums areas of Karachi.

Mr. Akbar Rajani, CEO Vital Pakistan Trust concluded the event by saying “Achieving a target of 100,000 immunizations is not easy in Karachi, especially in areas that are resistant to any kind of outside involvement. Credit goes through to the entire immunization team of Vital Pakistan Trust”.

This significant milestone of 100,000 immunizations was achieved in just 18 months. Vital Pakistan Trust has only been in this sector for ten years and has already achieved so much by offering quality maternal and child healthcare services in the underprivileged areas of Karachi like antenatal care and child OPD, to name a few.