ISLAMABAD, Wednesday, July 23, 2025 (WNP): The World Health Organization (WHO), with support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has provided over 800 motorbikes to Pakistan’s Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), enhancing the mobility of frontline vaccinators nationwide in a major push to improve vaccine coverage in hard-to-reach regions.

The initiative aims to target 65 high-priority districts with a combined population of 32.5 million—many of whom live in areas with significant numbers of zero-dose and under-immunized children. The motorbikes, distributed progressively since March 2025, are intended to help vaccinators reach vulnerable communities more efficiently.

Under the allocation plan, 300 motorbikes have been assigned to 21 districts in Sindh, 200 to 10 districts in Punjab, and 108 to 24 districts in Balochistan. Additionally, 80 bikes have been deployed across four districts each in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad, and 60 to four districts in Gilgit Baltistan.

WHO Representative in Pakistan Dr. Dapeng Luo said the support is guided by local micro-plans developed with WHO’s technical assistance, ensuring better tracking of immunization gaps at the union council level. “These motorbikes aim to support the vaccinators who work tirelessly to reach the most vulnerable—wherever they are,” Dr. Luo said. “Every 10 seconds, vaccination saves a life.”

Dr. Luo highlighted that since the founding of the EPI in 1978 through WHO support, millions of lives have been saved in Pakistan. He reaffirmed WHO’s continued commitment to reaching every child with lifesaving vaccines, particularly in difficult and remote terrains.

As part of a seven-decade-long partnership with Pakistan, WHO continues to back EPI efforts that annually protect over seven million children and five million mothers through routine immunization services.

The motorbike distribution is a strategic step toward achieving equitable vaccine access and meeting immunization targets under global health and development frameworks.