1.35m children vaccinated against measles

KARACHI-The Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) and the Health Department of government have vaccinated more than 1.35 million children in the measles campaign held in Karachi from August 18 to 26, 2017.

The campaign was conducted in 165 union councils of Karachi where more than 1.35 million children from the age of 9 months to 5 years were targeted for vaccination and the teams achieved 100 percent of their target.  2500 teams were deployed in the city and were supported by 5000 social mobilizers whose primary job was to raise awareness in communities so that caregivers bring their children to vaccination sites so they can be vaccinated to protect them from measles.

In addition there were 70 town level supervisors, 350 first level supervisors and 70 second level supervisors who monitored the campaign to make it a success. In addition to measles, 1.42 million children under 5 years of age were also given polio drops.

Project Director, EPI, Dr Agha Ashwaq said that “this was the perfect opportunity for parents to protect their children from measles which is a disease that can result in blindness and even death and the community came forward in big numbers. He said this was a demand from the community and the paediatricians in Pakistan and the campaign could not have been conducted at a better time.”

Measles is a vaccine preventable disease and the Government of Sindh provides this vaccine free of charge at its vaccination centres across this city and during the campaign special vaccination centres were set up in the 165 union councils of Karachi so that the community would have easy access.

The campaign was supported by EOC Sindh, The Commissioner Karachi as well as the Pakistan Pediatrics Association and international partners.