Anti-measles campaign to start in the city tomorrow
2,500 teams deployed in different parts of Karachi to vaccinate children
PHOTO: REUTERS
KARACHI:
An anti-measles campaign is set to start tomorrow (Friday) in 165 union councils of Karachi. The campaign will run for nine days till August 26.
It is the first campaign against measles in the city since 2014 that will be conducted by the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) and the Sindh health department. A significant number of 920 measles cases have been reported in Karachi this year so far.
During the campaign, approximately 1.5 million children from the ages of nine months till five years will be vaccinated against measles with the help of 2,500 teams deployed in different parts of the metropolis.
Punjab govt resumes battle against measles
The teams will be supported by 5,000 social mobilisers whose primary job would be to raise awareness in communities so that parents can bring their children to vaccination centres in order to get them vaccinated.
Moreover, 70 town-level supervisors, 350 first-level supervisors and 70 second-level supervisors will be monitoring the teams during the campaign.
"This is a perfect opportunity for parents to protect their children from measles, which is a disease that can result in blindness and even death," said EPI Project Director Dr Agha Ashfaq. He appealed to the parents to bring their children to the vaccination centres during the campaign where the skilled workers will administer the measles vaccine to the children.
Vaccinate every child missed in past drives
Dr Ashfaq added that measles is a preventable disease and the Sindh government will provide its vaccine free of charge at its vaccination centres across the city during the campaign.
The campaign is also being supported by the Pakistan Paediatric Association whose doctors will also be available in the field.
An anti-measles campaign is set to start tomorrow (Friday) in 165 union councils of Karachi. The campaign will run for nine days till August 26.
It is the first campaign against measles in the city since 2014 that will be conducted by the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) and the Sindh health department. A significant number of 920 measles cases have been reported in Karachi this year so far.
During the campaign, approximately 1.5 million children from the ages of nine months till five years will be vaccinated against measles with the help of 2,500 teams deployed in different parts of the metropolis.
Punjab govt resumes battle against measles
The teams will be supported by 5,000 social mobilisers whose primary job would be to raise awareness in communities so that parents can bring their children to vaccination centres in order to get them vaccinated.
Moreover, 70 town-level supervisors, 350 first-level supervisors and 70 second-level supervisors will be monitoring the teams during the campaign.
"This is a perfect opportunity for parents to protect their children from measles, which is a disease that can result in blindness and even death," said EPI Project Director Dr Agha Ashfaq. He appealed to the parents to bring their children to the vaccination centres during the campaign where the skilled workers will administer the measles vaccine to the children.
Vaccinate every child missed in past drives
Dr Ashfaq added that measles is a preventable disease and the Sindh government will provide its vaccine free of charge at its vaccination centres across the city during the campaign.
The campaign is also being supported by the Pakistan Paediatric Association whose doctors will also be available in the field.