Punjab envisages vaccination of all missing children in month long ‘Big Catch-Up’

Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Khawaja Imran Nazir said here on Monday that Punjab is conducting the second round of “Big Catch Up” activity from 17th February to 15th March 2025 to ensure complete vaccination of all children till five years of age.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the second round of “Big Catch-Up 2025” at the Nawaz Sharif Social Security Hospital, the Health Minister said, “This round of the Big Catch Up is providing second opportunity and we will ensure that vaccines reach and benefit every child. There should be no child who is missed from vaccination and becomes susceptible to diseases that can be prevented by the use of vaccine. All under five year children will be vaccinated to ensure complete vaccination.”

Khawaja Imran Nazir further said, “On the basis of directions from Chief Minister Ms. Maryam Nawaz Sharif, special arrangements have been made to ensure vaccines and other logistics availability at all health facilities, Maryam Nawaz Special Clinics and Clinics on Wheels. Our vaccination teams shall reach out to all houses and families where children might have missed their routine doses as per the recommended vaccination schedule for any reasons. In recent past many children missed their routine doses due to various reasons, foremost among them was COVID Pandemic when lockdown disrupted many routine services including vaccination service delivery for a brief period and also the devastating floods. Those children grew up missing some essential vaccination exposing them to the risk of fatal diseases. In consultations with the WHO we have developed a catch up vaccination schedule wherein children between two to five years will be provided essential vaccinations for missing doses.“

The Minister said that besides the vaccination of children from higher age group, concerted efforts will be made to reduce the number of un-immunized (zero dose) and under immunized (defaulters) children across Punjab’s diverse setting, especially urban slums, under served and far flung areas.

Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Ms. Nadia Saqib said that 5244 BCU Vaccination Teams have been deployed comprising 5244 Skilled Vaccinators, 5244 Team Assistants and 10488 Social Mobilizers who will be performing duties at the community level for outreach services.

There are 621 managers and supervisors that include CEO-H, DHO-PS, DSCs, DDHOs, EPI Focal Persons, DSVs and ASVs across Punjab. Social Mobilisers will visit house to house in the community and bring out children to the outreach vaccination points.

Ms. Nadia Saqib further said in case parents miss any outreach session for any reason, they must visit the nearest health facility including Teaching hospitals, DHQs, THQs, RHC, BHUs and other fixed EPI centers. In case of queries, the caregivers can contact the official Healthline 1033.

Director Health Services (EPI) Punjab Dr. Samra Khurram said, “This catch-up initiative will be instrumental in tracking zero dose & defaulter children and address access & equity issues. The goal of BCU is to reach out and vaccinate all un-vaccinated and under-vaccinated children. We are grateful to the WHO and UNICEF for their valuable support.”

The BCU is global initiative to close immunization gaps caused by the backsliding of immunization coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic, restore global immunization levels, and strengthen immunization systems so that catch-up activities become an integral part of immunization programs.