Exceeding expectations: Campaign in Sialkot completed ahead of time

SIALKOT: The anti-measles vaccination campaign in the Sialkot district achieved its targets four days before the campaign was scheduled to end, said Dr Yaadullah, the district monitor for the campaign.

He was talking to reporters at the office of the district health officer here on Thursday. District Health Officer (DHO) Javaid Warraich was also present.

The 10-day campaign had started on June 28. It was divided in two phases: door-to-door visits and immunisation at schools. He said the two phases were successfully completed way before the scheduled time.

Calling the campaign a great success, Yaadullah said that in the first six days of the campaign, vaccinators had gone door-to-door to immunise children.

The next four days, he said, were reserved for visits to primary schools in Sialkot, Daska , Sambrial and Pasrur tehsils. Schools had been directed to open for the four days for all schoolchildren to be immunised. This, he said, helped keep record of children.

Yaadullah said that 70 local non government organisations had helped the government mobilise people. He said that 500 special vaccinating teams were used.

Every child was also given a candy after the injection, he added. DHO Warraich said that 580 cases of measles had been reported in the district in eight months. Nine of these children had died.

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