More than 882,000 children would be vaccinated during the campaign, says KP health minister
DLP Report
PESHAWAR
The health department on Monday launched a six-day Measles Response Campaign in 11 high risk of districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said an official handout.
The special drive to combat the spread of measles was launched by the provincial health minister Syed Qasim Ali Shah at the Molvi Ji Hospital.
Director General Health Services, Dr. Saleem Khan, Director EPI, Dr Muhammad Arif Khan, Medical Superintendent Molvi Ji Hospital, Dr. Akram Shah, Dr Inamullah Khan UNICEF KPHealth Team Lead and other relevant officials were present on the occasion.
KP health minister informed that the measles eradication campaign will be conducted in Swabi, Hangu, Kohat, Bannu, DI Khan, Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, Malakand, Charsadda, Nowshera, Dir Lower and Upper.
He stated that the target of the campaign is to vaccinate 882,000 children against measles.
More than 1,000 teams have been formed for the campaign.
The Health Minister emphasised that the measles eradication campaign is being taken as a challenge.
He mentioned that if needed, the campaign can be expanded, and arrangements have been made to maintain cold chain management by providing refrigerated vans.
Qasim Ali Shah highlighted the impact of vaccination services being affected during the previous two years of the interim government, including the disruption of routine immunisations due to the initiation of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign.
Dr Muhammad Arif, Director EPI, mentioned on the occasion that the campaign will span six days, during which all children aged from 6 months to 59 months will be administered measles protection doses.
The campaign particularly focuses on the 11 districts where the incidence of measles was higher. The six-day campaign will involve the mobilisation of 180 union councils across the 11 districts, with all necessary arrangements made by the EPI KP.
