ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan announced on Friday that the government is launching an “ambitious campaign” to inoculate 91 million children from the age of nine months to 15 years measles and rubella from November 15.
“We are launching an ambitious campaign to vaccinate 91 million children (ages 9 months to 15 years) against measles and rubella, starting on November 15,” tweeted the SAPM.
This is the LARGEST campaign of this nature in the WORLD (in one phase) and involves 70,000 teams across the country.
— Faisal Sultan (@fslsltn) November 12, 2021
Dr Sultan remarked that the 12-day campaign is an indication of the “increasing capability of Pakistan’s vaccine programme”.
“This is the largest campaign of this nature in the world (in one phase) and involves 70,000 teams across the country,” claimed the SAPM.
The announcement comes as welcome news because medical experts have been demanding the government to focus on the issue.
In fact, in a recent conference, medical experts had reiterated the need to immunize children between nine months and 15 years against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) as well as polio.
This was stated at an awareness session organised by the Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU) for caregivers about the current immunization campaign against measles and rubella on Thursday.
Dr Rahat Naz, director of continuing medical education, organised the session as part of the campaign in which the Pakistan Paediatric Association (PPA) is actively involved.