MR vaccination campaign: WHO & GoP join hands to train 140,000 health workers

ISLAMABAD: The World Health Organization (WHO) has joined hands with the government of Pakistan to train over 140,000 health workers for the upcoming nationwide Measles and Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign, which aims to protect 35.4 million children, aged 6 months to 5 years.

The preventive drive scheduled for 17 to 29 November 2025 will supplement routine immunization efforts and tackle an immunity gap that could otherwise put over 6.7 million children under five at high risk of being infected with the disease in 2026.

In selected high-risk districts, polio drops will also be administered to children under five in partnership with Pakistan’s Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI), whose teams will also support the measles and rubella campaign as part of collaboration between PEI and the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI).

With funding support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, comprehensive cascade training sessions supported by WHO are being conducted for health workers, including vaccinators, team assistants, and social mobilizers. The sessions are adapted for each specific team and cover aspects such as quality micro-planning, safe injection practices, community engagement, and management of adverse events following immunization (AEFI).

WHO’s support for the campaign also includes technical guidance for planning, data analysis, readiness assessments, and monitoring and evaluation, in close collaboration with the Pakistan Federal Directorate of Immunization (FDI) and its EPI programme at the federal and provincial levels.

Measles and rubella pose a significant public health threat in Pakistan, with outbreaks reported in 432 Union Councils across 101 districts. In 2025, Pakistan registered an incidence rate of 80 measles cases per million, which is four times higher than the WHO threshold for measles outbreaks to be classified as “large and disruptive” – more than 20 reported cases per million population over a period of 12 months.

Over 57 percent of the more than 16,000 measles cases reported in 2025 as of 30 September – affected “zero-dose” children who had not received any routine measles vaccine, underscoring the urgent need to reach every child.

“Protecting our children from vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and rubella is a national priority,” said Dr Soofia Yunus, Director General, FDI. “This campaign is a massive undertaking to ensure a healthier, more resilient future for our nation. The government of Pakistan is committed to reaching every child and preventing tragic deaths associated with complications due to measles,” she added.

“The scientific evidence is clear: vaccines save lives and protect our children from life-threatening diseases like measles and rubella,” said WHO Representative in Pakistan, Dr Luo Dapeng.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025