Sindh CM launches anti-measles drive in province

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has inaugurated the immunisation drive against measles and rubella with an aim to eradicate the life-threatening disease.

A statement issued by the Chief Minister House said that the campaign against measles was inaugurated at NJV Government Higher Secondary School.

Speaking on the occasion, Murad said the provincial government wants to make the province measles-and-rubella free.

He said the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) is working on boosting children’s immunity to different diseases. "A special immunisation drive against measles and rubella will be launched from November 27," he added.

The chief minister said the government plans to vaccinate as many as 19 million children aged between nine and 15 years and administer anti-polio drops to 8.9 million kids aged five years and below.

"Atleast 71,856 children will be inoculated in private as well as government schools in the province," Murad said, urging parents to get their children vaccinated against the life-threatening diseases.

The CM highlighted that no polio case was reported so far this year due to the Sindh government’s efforts to eradicate the crippling disease from the province. "For the first time, polio environmental samples collected from Sindh were declared negative," he added.

Earlier, following an alarming increase in measles cases and deaths countrywide, the health authorities decided to initiate 13-day long vaccination drive from November 15 till 27.

Vaccination: anti-measles drive to begin on 15th

According to officials of the Federal Ministry for National Health Services and Regulations, the number of measles deaths in Pakistan this year has reached 127, and thousands of children were infected with the virus.

According to officials, last year 51 children died of measles, while this year, deaths have increased by over 100 percent.