The three-day Consultative Workshop on Estimates of Sub-National Immunization Coverages (ESNIC) began today in Islamabad, bringing together federal and provincial Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) teams to refine methods for sub-national immunization planning. The event is organised by the Federal Directorate of Immunization with primary collaboration from the World Health Organization and inputs from UNICEF and other partner organisations.
Dr. Soofia Yunus, Director General of the Federal Directorate of Immunization, delivered the welcome remarks as the chief guest and stressed the need for data-driven decision making, stronger federal-provincial coordination, and standardised methodologies to set realistic EPI targets. Her remarks highlighted how improved evidence at sub-national level is essential for targeted interventions and resource allocation.
Technical facilitation for the workshop is being led by Dr. Carolina Danavaro, Scientist EPI at WHO, and Mr. Yoann, System Analyst, together with senior WHO technical experts. Participants are being guided on global methodologies, triangulation approaches and practical steps for sub-national coverage estimation to ensure consistency across provinces and administrative areas.
Dr. Xia Wei, WHO EPI Team Lead, welcomed participants and underlined the importance of collaborative learning. She noted that the attendance of programme managers and representatives from all provincial and area EPIs is critical to build consensus, foster ownership and embed robust practices for sub-national immunization data use.
Speaking on behalf of UNICEF, Dr. Khalid Nawaz emphasised the consultative nature of the workshop and reiterated UNICEFβs commitment to provide maximum technical support to reach every child. The exchange of experience between federal and provincial teams is intended to strengthen on-the-ground planning and accountability.
With participation from federal and provincial EPI teams and technical backing from WHO and UNICEF, the ESNIC workshop marks an important step towards stronger evidence-based immunization planning across Pakistan. Improved sub-national immunization estimates are expected to guide programme managers in setting realistic targets and prioritising areas most in need.
