Routine Pediatric Vaccination in Pakistan During COVID-19: How Can Healthcare Professionals Help?

Amjad Khan; Asima Bibi; Khanzada Sheraz Khan; Ayesha Raza Butt; Hira Amin Alvi; Ada Zahra Naqvi; Saima Mushtaq; Yusra Habib Khan; Nafees Ahmad

doi:10.3389/fped.2020.613433

Routine Pediatric Vaccination in Pakistan During COVID-19: How Can Healthcare Professionals Help?

Front Pediatr. 2020 Dec 10:8:613433. doi: 10.3389/fped.2020.613433. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Amjad Khan¹, Asima Bibi¹, Khanzada Sheraz Khan¹, Ayesha Raza Butt¹, Hira Amin Alvi¹, Ada Zahra Naqvi¹, Saima Mushtaq², Yusra Habib Khan³, Nafees Ahmad⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmacy, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
² Department of Healthcare Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan.
³ Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, University of Balochistan, Quetta, Pakistan.

Abstract

Pakistan is still fighting to overcome vaccine-preventable diseases (VPD). The vaccination coverage in rural children remains unsatisfactory amid various barriers including price, hesitancy, and low level of awareness. COVID-19 has decreased the immunization rate in Pakistan due to restricted movements, shortage of vaccines, and low coverage. During the current pandemic, there are high risks that children may get VPD resulting in another infectious disease catastrophe. There is a dire need to put aggressive measures by the government of Pakistan in time to ensure the optimal vaccine coverage. Public education programs for immunization, telehealth services, the involvement of community pharmacies, and the drive-through vaccination system may help to enhance the vaccination rate during the ongoing health crisis.

Keywords: COVID-19; Pakistan; healthcare professionals; immunization; vaccination.