Barishal reviews EPI, HPV vaccination, health progs

BARISHAL, Aug 7: Health officials, policymakers and development partners gathered in the district on Friday to review the progress of routine immunisation, HPV vaccination and other public health programmes, with a focus on improving service delivery across the division. 

The Divisional Health Office organised the workshop titled ‘Integrated EPI, HPV, Open SRP and Health Programme Review Workshop of Barishal Division,’ at Grand Park Hotel on Friday morning.

Speaking as the chief guest, Dr SM Ziauddin Haider, special assistant to the chief adviser on health affairs with the rank of state minister, stressed the need to strengthen routine immunisation and ensure wider coverage of essential health services through better coordination and monitoring. 

Barishal City Corporation Administrator Advocate Bilkis Akter Jahan Shirin, who attended as the special guest, highlighted the importance of collaboration between local government institutions and the health sector to improve public healthcare delivery.

Among others present were Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof Dr Prabhat Chandra Biswas, Divisional Director (Health) of Barishal Dr Md Refayetul Haider, senior health officials from all six districts of the division, representatives of UNICEF, and officials from various government and non-government organisations.

The workshop reviewed the progress of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign, Open SRP activities and other ongoing public health initiatives. Participants also discussed field-level challenges, strategies to increase vaccination coverage, ways to improve programme coordination and measures to raise public awareness.