Gilgit, December 4, 2025 — The Expanded Program on Immunization Gilgit-Baltistan, with support from the World Health Organization, has begun a three-day provincial review meeting to assess progress on Routine EPI, Vaccine-Preventable Disease surveillance and the ongoing Measles-Rubella campaign. The EPI review brings together health officials to take stock of current performance and plan next steps for the region.
District Health Officers and their teams from all Gilgit-Baltistan districts are participating alongside representatives from WHO, UNICEF and provincial EPI officials. The gathering is intended to foster shared responsibility for vaccination efforts and strengthen coordination between partners at provincial and district levels.
Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, Director EPI GB, inaugurated the session with a detailed overview of the meeting objectives, underlining the importance of joint evaluation and continued collaboration to reinforce immunization services. He emphasized that the EPI review is an opportunity to align strategies, share best practices and address persistent gaps in service delivery.
On the opening day several districts presented performance updates, covering routine immunization indicators and surveillance findings. Remaining districts will present their progress over the next two days, allowing participants to compare results, discuss operational challenges and identify priority interventions.
Organizers say the review will help identify challenges, measure progress and shape actionable strategies to improve immunization coverage and enhance VPD surveillance across Gilgit-Baltistan. Continued cooperation with WHO and UNICEF is expected to support follow-up actions arising from the EPI review and strengthen the region’s capacity to protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases.
