PESHAWAR
Religious leaders and scholars from across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have expressed full support for the upcoming Measles and Rubella (MR) Vaccination Campaign scheduled from November 17 to 29, under the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI). The commitment was made during a one-day awareness and consultative session organized by EPI KP in Peshawar, aimed at engaging religious leaders, clerics, preachers, and madrassa teachers to promote awareness about immunization and child health protection.
The session was attended by prominent scholars from various districts, senior pediatrician and President of the Pakistan Paediatric Association Dr. Bawar Shah, Dr. Aqeel Khattak, EPI officials, and health experts. Participants pledged to play an active role at the community and religious level to ensure the success of the campaign.
Director EPI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr. Asghar Khan, in his address, highlighted the vital role of religious leaders in building community trust and spreading awareness. He said that conveying messages about the importance of vaccination through Friday sermons and religious gatherings is an effective way to encourage public participation.
He added that the goal of the campaign is to protect children from life-threatening diseases like measles and rubella by ensuring timely immunization.
“During the campaign, all children aged between six months and five years will be vaccinated against measles and rubella so that no child remains vulnerable,” he said.
Dr. Asghar Khan urged religious leaders to motivate parents to have their children vaccinated to provide complete protection against these rapidly spreading diseases.
Dr. Inamullah, Health Team Lead at UNICEF, gave a detailed briefing on the objectives and key messages of the campaign, emphasizing the importance of community engagement through religious platforms to achieve full coverage.
Participants appreciated EPI’s efforts and assured their full cooperation, vowing to promote positive messaging about measles and rubella vaccination through their sermons, teachings, and community outreach so that children across the province can enjoy a healthy and prosperous future.
Prominent scholars attending the session included Maulana Muhammad Ismail, Ehsanul Haq, Mufti Zafar Zaman Haqqani, Maulana Hussain Ahmad, Maulana Muhammad Idrees, Maulana Amjad Khan, Maulana Atiqur Rehman, Maulana Shafiullah, Maulana Nasiruddin, Maulana Abdul Ghaffar, Maulana Abdul Razzaq, Maulana Adnan Qureshi, Maulana Fakhrul Islam, and Maulana Abdul Jaleel, among others.
