Dawn columnist calls for flu vaccination to become a state program in Pakistan
In Pakistan, flu vaccination should be treated as a public health issue, with vulnerable population groups provided with free vaccinations, according to Faisal Bari, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives and an associate professor of economics at Lums. He expressed this position in a column for Dawn.
The author noted that the smog season and winter illnesses in Lahore increase the need for flu prevention. He cited his family’s personal vaccination experience: according to him, after vaccinations there were fewer cases of illness in winter, symptoms were milder, and recovery was faster.
Vaccine availability
According to Bari, flu vaccines in Pakistan are not very popular and are not widely available. Last year, one vaccination cost about 3,000 Pakistani rupees, which the author called a significant amount for many families.
He urged the state to vaccinate children, older people, and people with chronic illnesses or weakened immune systems free of charge. In Bari’s view, this could reduce the number of hospitalizations and the severity of symptoms, cut absences from school and work, and help build herd immunity.
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The example of the United Kingdom
As an example, the author cited the United Kingdom, where children are vaccinated against flu free of charge in September, including through schools. A nasal version of the vaccine is also available for children. Older people and adults with diabetes, immune disorders, and other conditions that increase health risks also have access to free vaccinations.
Bari believes that a campaign in Pakistan would require a different model, as not all children attend school and there is no comprehensive national healthcare system. He proposed involving public medical facilities, Lady Health Workers and Lady Health Visitors, as well as ensuring the availability of vaccines in private clinics, hospitals, and pharmacies. To enable vulnerable people to access low-cost or free vaccinations, the author mentioned programs with broad coverage, including BISP.
In Bari’s view, the experience of Covid-19 vaccination could be useful in organizing such a campaign. At the same time, he suggested that because of the need for advance preparations, Pakistan will probably not have time to carry out large-scale vaccination before the next winter season.
