LAHORE: A special immunization campaign for inoculating more than 1.5 million children against measles has been launched in 10 districts of the province here on Monday.
The campaign will continue till June 24. Caretaker health minister Dr Jamal Nasir, on this occasion, told that approximately 1.5 million children between the ages of six months to five years will be vaccinated against measles in 147 union councils of 10 districts of Punjab during the ongoing special drive. Polio and vitamin A drops will also be administered to these children, he added.
Dr Jamal Nasir said that children will be vaccinated against measles and rubella in 80 union councils of Lahore city while only measles vaccine will be administered in the other nine districts.
He told that the remaining union councils included 42 of district Rawalpindi, 12 of Jhang, three of Hafizabad, two each of Narowal, Sialkot, Kasur and Toba Tek Singh, while one each of Gujranwala and Sheikhupura where children will be vaccinated against measles.
The Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare said that on the request of the Punjab government, the World Health Organization (WHO) was providing technical and operational support for the special campaign. Dr Jamal Nasir said that children were the future of the nation and their healthy upbringing was the national responsibility of all of us.
The government was providing free vaccines against 12 deadly diseases to children less than two years of age. Parents who do not administer immunizations to their children in time were putting lives of their children at risk, Dr Jamal Nasir observed.
He said that the parents must complete the immunization course for their children in time. For further guidance, parents could contact the health helpline line 1033 of the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department, he added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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