KARACHI GNP: The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Government of Sindh have inaugurated a model vaccination centre under the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH), Karachi, aimed at providing free vaccination services to around 2.5 million residents of District South.
The facility, supported by WHO with financial assistance from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, was inaugurated by Sindh Minister for Health and Population Welfare Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho and WHO Representative in Pakistan Dr Luo Dapeng.
The newly established EPI centre will provide routine childhood vaccinations against 13 vaccine-preventable diseases, along with tetanus-diphtheria vaccination for pregnant women. The centre has been designed to improve the vaccination experience for families and enhance the quality of immunization services.
The facility includes dedicated child vaccination areas, waiting spaces for parents and caregivers, water and sanitation facilities, essential furniture, and modern cold-chain equipment to ensure vaccines remain safe and effective. Awareness materials have also been placed to guide parents about vaccination schedules and requirements.
WHO supports Sindh’s immunization programme every year to vaccinate approximately 1.5 million children, including around 700,000 children in Karachi. As one of the largest public-sector children’s hospitals in the city, NICH is expected to facilitate hundreds of children daily through the new vaccination centre.
According to health officials, routine immunization coverage in Sindh reached 80 percent in 2025, with first-dose pentavalent vaccine coverage exceeding 93 percent and BCG vaccination coverage for preventing childhood tuberculosis above 90 percent.
At the national level, Pakistan’s Expanded Programme on Immunization, in collaboration with WHO and partners, vaccinates nearly 7 million children and 5.5 million women of childbearing age every year.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho said the Sindh government is focused on strengthening EPI centres across the province to ensure parents have easy access to quality vaccination services.
She emphasized that awareness about vaccines and the diseases they prevent is essential for protecting children’s health and ensuring a healthier future.
WHO Representative in Pakistan Dr Luo Dapeng said vaccines have protected millions of children and mothers in Pakistan over the past five decades.
He added that WHO will continue supporting Pakistan and Sindh in improving vaccine delivery, training healthcare workers, and strengthening digital immunization records to ensure no child or mother is left behind.
The new vaccination centre is part of Sindh EPI’s plan to expand fixed immunization facilities in Karachi and reduce the number of children missing routine vaccinations. The centre will also support polio eradication efforts by providing routine immunization services alongside supplementary vaccination campaigns.
Officials said the establishment of the facility reflects continued efforts to make life-saving vaccines accessible to every child and mother, regardless of social or economic background.
