Strategic partnership with private healthcare providers helps reach zero-dose children in KP

PESHAWAR, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th May, 2026) A strategic partnership between community outreach workers and private healthcare providers has demonstrated how local alliances can help reach underserved populations and improve immunization coverage in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The initiative aimed to align private sector healthcare providers with efforts to increase routine immunization coverage and engage them as active partners in identifying and referring missed and zero-dose children.

The collaboration was reached between outreach workers of MERF, a non-governmental organization working to improve access to quality healthcare services, and private healthcare providers serving in different parts of the province.

The partnership proved crucial when a child from a recently settled nomadic family was brought to Dr Haroon Afridi's clinic in Union Council Urmar Bala, on the outskirts of Peshawar.

During consultation, Dr. Haroon discovered that the child, along with many others from the nomadic community, had never received routine immunization services.

“This was not just one missed child; it was an entirely missed community,” observed Dr Haroon Afridi.

Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Dr. Haroon immediately informed MERF Outreach Worker Hazrat Umar, who promptly visited the remote settlement in Ghari Gula Khan.

During the visit, around 30 unvaccinated children from the nomadic population were identified.

“When I reached the site, I realized these children had been invisible to the system,” said Hazrat Umar.

Reaching the nomadic community, often excluded due to constant mobility and geographic barriers, remained one of the most significant achievements of the intervention, he added.

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Despite logistical difficulties and challenging terrain, an outreach immunization session was swiftly organized.

Alongside vaccination services, awareness sessions were conducted to educate caregivers about the importance of routine immunization and protection against vaccine-preventable diseases.

Local influencers and community elders were also engaged to build trust and encourage community participation in future vaccination activities.

The proactive efforts of the outreach team ensured that children who had never received vaccines were finally brought into the immunization network.

During a single outreach session, a total of 30 children were vaccinated, including seven identified as zero-dose children. Defaulter children were also successfully covered during the activity.

The intervention resulted in first-time vaccination coverage in the remote nomadic settlement, improved community awareness regarding essential immunization, strengthened collaboration with private healthcare providers, and enhanced trust and acceptance among the hard-to-reach population.

A community elder from the nomadic settlement said, “No one had ever come to our area for vaccination before. We felt forgotten. Today, we feel seen and cared for. Our children are safer because of this effort.”

The community response remained overwhelmingly positive, reflecting trust, appreciation and willingness to engage with health services in the future.

The success of the initiative highlights how timely action and strong local partnerships can help overcome access barriers and effectively reach zero-dose children in underserved communities.