Use of Technology in Punjab’s Immunization program hailed at the Tech Conference 2016 USA

Lahore : Due to the technology platform, Punjab’s immunization coverage has risen from 15% to 88% in the past 20 months. The same program is being replicated in the other parts of Pakistan like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Gilgit Baltistan with the help of UK’s Department For International Development (DFID).

It was stated by the Vice Chancellor of Information Technology University (ITU) Lahore cum Chairman of Punjab IT Board (PITB) Dr. Umar Saif while talking as keynote speaker at the international Tech Conference 2016 jointly organized by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) at Boston USA.

The event was attended by over 100 global innovators, policy makers, researchers and NGOs representatives from across the globe including the President of MIT, Head of Innovations at USAID, Chief Scientist of the USAID and academicians from MIT, Harvard,

UC Berkeley and University of Washington. Dr. Saif’s talk focused on his work in designing technology for the developing world in order to enhance coverage of immunization for children in Pakistan.

Dr. Saif highlighted how PITB’s system using smartphone applications and sophisticated satellite imagery analysis had been able to turn around the entire vaccination program in Punjab.

Dr. Saif’s work received widespread applause, with representatives from several countries expressing keen interest in replicating those programs in their countries. The work was hailed as the shinning beacon of innovation for the developing countries.

Subsequently, Dr. Saif met with USAID Chief Scientist Dr. Caroly Shumway and USAID Director for Global Development, Ticora Jones along with MIT’s head of Development Lab Amy Smith to discuss a global alliance for using technology that would enable grass root change in the social sectors of the developing countries.