Over 1.5M kids being vaccinated against measles

Rawalpindi: Over 1.5 million children, between six months to 59 months of age would be vaccinated against measles during a week-long drive launched in ten districts of the province including 42 Union Councils (UCs) of Rawalpindi district here on Monday.

Caretaker Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Dr. Jamal Nasir said this while inaugurating the “Health Fair” and measles immunization campaign by vaccinating children here at Eden Marque IJP road.

During the special campaign, Dr. Jamal stated: “Besides measles immunization, Polio and Vitamin A drops were also being administered to children in 147 UCs of ten districts of Punjab which had been declared high-risk areas for measles virus spread”.

He informed that children were being vaccinated against measles and rubella in 80 UCs of Lahore city, 12 in Jhang, three in Hafizabad, two each in Narowal, Sialkot, Kasur and Toba Tek Singh, while one each in Gujranwala and Sheikhupura.

The minister added: “52 UC supervisors, 354 skilled workers, 354 Assistants and 354 social mobilizes were also visiting 42 UCs of the Rawalpindi district including 19 union councils of the city, eight UCs of Rawalpindi Cantonment, five UCs of tehsil Taxila and 10 UCs of Rawalpindi rural”.

He said that at the request of the Government of Punjab, the World Health Organization (WHO) was providing technical and operational support for the special campaign.

Dr. Jamal continued to say: “The government was providing free vaccines against 12 deadly diseases to children under two years of age while parents who do not administer timely immunizations to their children’s putting their lives at risk”.

He urged the parents to must complete the immunization of their children in time.

While inaugurating the Health Fair, Jamal Nasir said that the aim of the health fair was to provide maternal, child health, and family planning services to the underprivileged sections of society.

Apart from mother and child health and family planning counters, electronic medical records, nutrition screening, ultrasound and mental health clinics had also been set up at the fair.

The health minister added that provision of health facilities was the priority of the caretaker government, stating that a healthy mother and child were essential for a healthy society.