Dire situation: Balochistan launches emergency vaccination campaign

Campaign will last eight days, with 209 skilled vaccinators, 418 team assistants, 418 social mobilisers participating

QUETTA: With 16 deaths from measles and 14 cases of polio confirmed in Balochistan this year, the provincial government on Monday launched an eight-day emergency vaccination campaign against nine deadly infectious diseases, including polio and measles.

The campaign will be launched with the help of UNICEF and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Balochistan has the lowest immunisation rates in the country -- a recent Pakistan Demographic Health Survey revealed that more than 80% of children in the province are not protected against diseases such as childhood tuberculosis, polio, pneumonia, hepatitis B, meningitis, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus and measles.

The campaign will last eight days, with 209 skilled vaccinators, 418 team assistants, 418 social mobilisers taking part in it.

The target population is 96,822 aged two to 23 months old in eight union councils of Quetta -- Ahmed Khanzai A, Ahmed Khanzai B, Kechi Baig, Khortabad, Geo Side, Kotwal A,13 C, Baleli-B, Shadinizi,11A,11B,13B,13D, Baleli-A, Kotwal 2, Kuchlak-A and Kuchlak-B.

There are 209 vaccination sites which include temporary sites at schools, houses of notables or private clinics, and fixed sites such as basic health units.

Moreover, the province has a high infant mortality rate and 60% of these deaths are due to infectious disease and vaccine preventable diseases. “For this campaign our focus is on the children between 4 months and 23 months,” says the Secretary Health Balochistan.

“These children are most vulnerable to the infectious disease,” he added.

According to the disease surveillance reports, more than 1,200 children have been affected by measles in the province, with at least 16 reported deaths.

Similarly, after being polio free for more than 20 months, Balochistan has reported 14 polio cases from Quetta, Qila-Abdullah, Zhob and Khuzdar.

“Keeping in mind the grave situation, the government of Balochistan has launched an emergency Routine Immunisation campaign, starting from 18 high risk areas of district Quetta which will be replicated in Qila-Abdullah and Pishin in the coming months,” said Minister of Health Rehmat Saleh Baloch

“90% of polio cases in the world are from Pakistan this year, and the situation is quite critical, as the global community is concerned about this situation,” said the minister.

The temporary sites established by the government will also provide vaccination against polio at these centers for children under five.

Statistics suggest measles is a deadly disease which kills an estimated 21,000 children under the age of five every year, and it can lead to severe complications such as deafness or complete blindness.

An anti-measles vaccine is the most effective protection against this disease which is available at the centers.

“The vaccines will be provided in the community through outreach camps, at a school or a notable’s house. These services will also be available at basic health units and fixed vaccination centers,” says Baloch. “We urge all parents to vaccinate their children who are under the age of five years to protect them against deadly diseases.”