Over 90m children to be immunised against measles, rubella

Islamabad: A nationwide campaign—inevitably one of the biggest campaigns in the world—for immunisation of over 90 million children against measles and rubella teed off here on Friday.

The PM’s Special Assistant for Health Dr. Faisal Sultan launched the two-week campaign, for which 386,000 health professionals including 76,000 vaccinators and 143,000 social mobilisers, have been mobilised. Supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF, WHO and partners, the campaign targets children aged between 9 months and 15 years; those aged up to five will also receive oral polio vaccine.

The campaign will be conducted in public and private health facilities, outreach centres as well as educational facilities for 12 days from November 15 to 27. Nearly half of the children who are to be immunized are enrolled in schools. The MR vaccine will be available in routine immunisation schedule for children at 9 months and 15 months of age.

“Measles and rubella are contagious diseases that can cause severe complications—even death—in children. Effective vaccine is available to protect children against these diseases. I urge both the frontline workers to work with dedication and the caregivers to lend support by vaccinating their children,” said Dr. Faisal.

In recent years, cases of measles and rubella have surged dramatically in Pakistan, affecting thousands of children and claiming many young lives. We need to vaccinate every child,” said Dr. Muhammad Akram Shah, National Programme Manager of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI). The WHO Representative in Pakistan Dr. Palitha Mahipala expressed confidence that the campaign will move Pakistan not only one step closer to maintaining measles elimination and accelerating rubella control, but also a step closer to reducing overall child mortality across the country. “We appreciate the strong commitment of the government towards the measles elimination,” he remarked.

Unicef Representative Aida Girma said, “Today’s world is still grappling with the very contagious measles and rubella viruses, none of which have gone away despite being entirely preventable with a simple vaccine.” She said, Unicef is proud to support the government to ensure that safe, effective vaccines are available and delivered nationwide.