Saving Lives with Vaccines: UNICEF’s Immunization Efforts in Pakistan
Introduction: One Shot Can Change a Life
In Pakistan, thousands of children die every year from diseases that are preventable — not because we lack the medicine, but because many children never receive it.
From remote villages to urban slums, UNICEF has been on the frontlines of immunization in Pakistan, making sure every child — regardless of where they are born — gets a fair chance at life.
💉 The Vaccine Gap in Pakistan
Despite significant progress, Pakistan still faces:
- Low routine immunization rates in some provinces
- Frequent measles outbreaks and recurring polio cases
- High vaccine hesitancy due to misinformation and mistrust
- Logistical challenges in reaching remote or crisis-affected areas
For many children, these challenges are the difference between life and death.
🌍 UNICEF’s Role in Immunization — How They Help
UNICEF supports Pakistan’s immunization program through a multi-level approach:
1. 🚛 Supplying Vaccines and Equipment
UNICEF is the largest vaccine supplier in the world — and in Pakistan, it:
- Procures and delivers millions of doses annually (including polio, measles, and pentavalent vaccines)
- Supports the cold chain system to keep vaccines safe and effective
- Provides solar-powered fridges, storage units, and mobile freezers in hard-to-reach areas
“Vaccines are only useful if they reach the child — in the right condition, at the right time.”
— UNICEF Cold Chain Specialist, KP
2. 🧕 Community Mobilization and Trust Building
In many regions, especially rural or conservative areas, cultural resistance and misinformation hinder vaccine uptake.
UNICEF works with:
- Local religious leaders, elders, and teachers to spread vaccine awareness
- Lady Health Workers (LHWs) and trained volunteers who go door-to-door to educate and vaccinate
- National campaigns like “Sehatmand Pakistan” and “Every Child, Every Right” that promote immunization through TV, radio, and social media
3. 👩⚕️ Training Frontline Health Workers
UNICEF has helped train thousands of vaccinators in:
- Safe injection practices
- Cold chain management
- Data reporting and digital tracking systems
- Communication skills for dealing with hesitant or fearful parents
These efforts are especially crucial in provinces like Sindh, Balochistan, and FATA, where access and trust remain low.
4. 🧭 Emergency Response and Rapid Campaigns
During disease outbreaks or natural disasters, UNICEF has rapidly:
- Launched supplementary immunization activities (SIAs)
- Sent mobile teams to displacement camps or flooded areas
- Integrated routine immunization with food aid and hygiene programs
In the 2022 floods, for instance, UNICEF helped vaccinate over 1.4 million children in emergency zones.
🦠 Special Focus: The Fight Against Polio
Pakistan remains one of only two countries in the world where wild poliovirus is still endemic (alongside Afghanistan).
UNICEF plays a leading role in:
- Communication strategies to counter anti-vaccine myths
- Coordination of National Immunization Days (NIDs) with the Ministry of Health
- Engaging parents in tribal and high-risk districts like North Waziristan and Quetta
Their efforts, combined with partners like WHO and GAVI, have led to:
- A historic drop in cases (from hundreds in 2014 to just a few in recent years)
- Better monitoring using GPS-tracked vaccine teams
📊 Results & Impact (2010–2024)
- Over 700 million vaccine doses delivered in the past decade
- Tens of millions of children reached through mass campaigns
- Routine immunization coverage increased from 54% (2012) to 78% (2023)
- UNICEF helped restore immunization services in 20+ flood-hit districts
🧾 Final Thoughts: A Vaccine Is a Promise — UNICEF Helps Keep It
No child should die from a disease that can be prevented with a simple injection. Through its long-term commitment, grassroots presence, and global reach, UNICEF continues to protect millions of young lives in Pakistan — one vaccine at a time.
“Vaccination is not just a health service — it’s a human right.”
— UNICEF Pakistan
