Anti-measles drive to begin from Oct 15 across Punjab

LAHORE: Punjab Health Department will launch an anti-measles drive across the province from October 15,  Director General Health Services Dr. Munir Ahmed announced on Tuesday.

According to a statement released from his office, DG Health Services announced that the 12-day campaign will continue till October 27 across Punjab.

“More than fifteen thousand teams would take part in this campaign”, he said, adding that “almost 20 million children between the ages of six months and seven years would be injected anti measles vaccine”.

Dr. Munir Ahmed said that all the district heath authorities were directed to remain prepared to launch awareness campaign in their respective areas.

“Field health officers should particularly engage public and private schools, media, district administration, local NGOs, religious scholars and all other stakeholders” directed the Director General Health.

Moreover Dr. Munir Ahmed said that GAVI, WHO, UNICEF and other international development partners were working with collaboration of provincial and federal governments to launch this campaign.

He said that measles was a deadly disease causing thousands of deaths around the world each year and was also a serious challenge for Pakistan.

It is pertinent to note here that the provincial health ministry has also started a Punjab wide nutrition awareness drive ‘Mother and Child Health and Nutrition Week’ since October 1.

Punjab Health Minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid inaugurated the drive at a slum in the suburban area of provincial capital and fed dose of vitamins to a number of kids on Monday.

Under the Mother and Child Health and Nutrition Program (IRMNCH & NP), teams are expected to reach more than 10 million children, minor girls and one million pregnant women in a door to door campaign.