PESHAWAR: The health department has vaccinated 96 per cent of the target children against measles-rubella during the 12-day campaign in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to officials. They reported that 25 children had died of measles, one of the 12 vaccine-preventable childhood diseases in the province so far, mostly due to non-vaccination.
The recent drive aimed to protect children from the preventable disease. Officials said authorities were hopeful the successful campaign would safeguard children from measles, which infects and kills hundreds annually.
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Dr Asghar Khan, director of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), told Dawn that the achievement reflected strong coordination among district health teams and frontline vaccinators, supported by supervisors and partners. He said vaccine recipients would be protected from the disease, which had infected 4,705 children and suspected 12,800 cases this year, mostly among unimmunised or partially immunised children. Full immunisation ensures complete protection.
Dr Asghar added the drive, conducted from November 17 to 29 across the province, strengthened children’s immunity against measles and rubella. “Our teams reached 5.7 million children out of a total target of six million for measles-rubella (MR), achieving 96 per cent coverage.
The remaining four per cent couldn’t be vaccinated due to accessibility issues or parental refusal, but overall the campaign was a success,” he said. Some children were not at home during visits, while others were ill and could not be vaccinated.
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The director said 4.3 million children received oral polio vaccine out of a 4.8 million target, achieving 89 per cent coverage. Missed children were mostly in security-compromised areas. “Our teams targeted children aged six months to five years in 37 districts against MR and provided polio vaccination in 10 districts,” he added.
Education department support and Recue 1122 ambulance services ensured the smooth running of the campaign, with no recorded side effects. Community elders also played a key role in encouraging parents to vaccinate their children. Over 4,500 teams participated, providing injectable jabs. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, funded 95 per cent of the campaign’s expenses.
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Dr Asghar emphasised the importance of such campaigns, noting that currently only 68 per cent of children in the province are fully immunised. Unimmunised children remain at risk of childhood diseases. “The virus can spread rapidly in densely populated areas. Immunisation is the only way to reduce disease burden,” he said.
Vaccination plays a vital role in protecting children, and developed countries have reduced childhood ailments through such programs.
