Stop Measles Week: NGOs to help local govt curb the disease

Events including walks and seminars will kick off on April 24.

LAHORE:

Town administrations have decided to enlist the help of non governmental organisations in order to raise awareness about measles and to administer the vaccine.

Assistant commissioners and town administrators of the nine towns met on Friday to discuss the preparations for the Stop Measles Week, which starts from April 24 (Wednesday).

Each of the towns will arrange seminars and walks as part of its awareness campaign.

All towns have already declared the offices of union councils as measles vaccination centres.

In Aziz Bhatti Town, three NGOs will work with the administration to help check the spread of measles.

The NGOs will establish immunisation centres at private hospitals to administer the vaccine, Assistant Commissioner Nabeela Irfan told the meeting she chaired. She said that information and vaccination desks had been set up in all union councils.

The Gulberg Town administration will organise a walk on MM Alam Road, with the help of NGOs, to raise awareness about the highly infectious viral illness.

Volunteers from as many as 10 NGOs will also go door-to-door to inform citizens about the precautions that can be taken to prevent contracting the disease.

Iqbal Town and Shalimar Town administrations, in their respective meetings chaired by AC Sundas Arshad and AC Ali Shahzad respectively, decided to celebrate the Stop Measles Week by organising seminars, walks and awareness campaigns in schools and colleges.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 20^th, 2013.