Measles in Pakistan: Over 91 million children in Pakistan will be vaccinated against Measles and Rubella virus which had claimed 127 lives across the country during 43 weeks of 2021.
Out of 127 deaths, 45 children lost their lives in Sindh followed by 39 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 26 in Balochistan,16 in Punjab and one in merged districts of KP, health experts said during orientation session held here at Hyderabad press club on Saturday.
The orientation session was organized by Expanded Programme for Immunization (EPI) in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO) and the UNICEF which aimed at providing awareness about two week long anti Measles- Rubella vaccination campaign to be started from November 15 to 27.
Speaking in the session, senior Paediatrician Dr Hanif Kashti Wala said the Measles and Rubella were contagious diseases that could take lives of innocent children if not stopped through effective vaccination. He feared that total number of deaths due to Measles and Rubella might be increased to 350 in Sindh.
Measles vaccination in Pakistan
Dr Hanif said an effective vaccine MR is available in Pakistan to stop this virus from spreading further. The government has decided to launch one of the biggest campaign against Measles- Rubella from November 15 (Monday) which will remain continued till November 27 for 13 days, Dr Kashti Wala said.
He said over 91 million children will be vaccinated across the country against Measles – Rubella during upcoming campaign, of them 19 million children belong to Sindh province.
In Sindh, as many as 16000 health workers including nursing staff, para medical staff, lady health workers and doctors will take part in the campaign in which children aged from 9 months to 15 years would be inoculated, Dr Hanif said.
Measles- Rubella vaccine Shots
He said the Measles- Rubella vaccine was one dose shot that can be injected to all children including those already vaccinated under EPI programme.
He urged on media to play role in providing awareness among general public so that majority of the children could be vaccinated during 13 day drive in which 16000 teams had been constituted by the provincial health authorities.
Side effects of Measles vaccination
In reply to a question, Dr Hanif said there was no side effects of this vaccine and despite of this fact all paediatricians will remain available along with vaccination teams to check the children in case of any emergency.
The District Health Officer Dr. Lala Jaffar said that all arrangements had been finalized for this campaign and leaves of all paediatricians were cancelled during 13 day drive so that their availability could be ensured.
He said over 0.9 million children (39% of total the population) will be vaccinated in Hyderabad for which 763 teams,151doctors and 1417 social mobilizers will take part in the campaign.
There are 76 EPI centres in the district while special teams would also visit different areas and in major schools for vaccinating the children against Measles- Rubella, Dr Lala Jaffar said and added that the best way to eradicate this virus from society was to get all children up to the age of 15 vaccinated during two week drive.
He appealed the parents not to pay heed on the propaganda being spread over social media about the so called side effects of the vaccine and get their children vaccinated at the earliest.
DHO said the vaccine will boost the immunity of the children and will save them from future complications as compared to unvaccinated children.
The Communication Consultant UNICEF Suneel Raja and Technical officer WHO Abdul Qadir Abbasi also spoke on the occasion.
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