Measles Control: 1.8m children vaccinated so far

LAHORE: “Out of three million children, we have vaccinated 1.8 million,” said Health Director General Tanveer Ahmed on Saturday. 

“The vaccination teams have been provided cold storages and transportation. I hope that we will soon achieve our target,” he told The Express Tribune. The government launched its anti-measles campaign in Lahore on April 29.  “Cold storage and shielding from ultraviolet radiations is vital for an effective vaccination campaign, otherwise we will not get rid of measles,” UHS Microbiology Department head Maj Gen (retd) Prof Abdul Hannan said.

“Since morning, we have vaccinated 1,050 children in a locality where one school team, one stationary and four mobile teams are working”, said Akhter, a vaccinator incharge of the stationary team in UC 126.  “Some people have been refusing polio and other vaccines…but this time they are cooperating,” said another member of the vaccination team. “This time media has played very important role and people are cooperating because they do not want their young ones to die,” said Communicable Diseases Supervisor Shaukat Moon.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 5^th, 2013.