Mass vaccination campaign launched

15 million children in the flood affected areas across Pakistan will be immunized with measles and polio vaccines.

ISLAMABAD: Federal Health Minister Makhdoom Shahabuddin launched the National Mass vaccination campaign for flood affectees at railways hospital in Sukkur today (Friday).

While addressing a select group of Lady Health Workers, public health experts and community mid-wives, after administering polio and measles vaccine to kick off the drive Shahabuddin said "immunization is the first line of defense in dealing with a health challenge of this magnitude and scale in the wake of unprecedented floods in the country."

On the occasion, Dr Altaf Bosan made a presentation on strategy for the mass vaccination campaign. A total of 15 million children in the flood affected areas cross Pakistan will be immunized with measles and polio vaccines. For this purpose over 6,000 special teams have been constituted.

"The first wave of deaths in the immediate aftermath of the floods was averted due to immediate vaccination of the IDPs, while it is hoped that a second wave of deaths may be averted as a result of this drive to be held from September 20 till October 2, 2010."