The National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) has announced a nationwide campaign to vaccinate children against measles and rubella from November 17 to November 29.
The campaign aims to protect children from highly contagious diseases. Measles and rubella spread through respiratory droplets and can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis. In the past three years, Pakistan has reported over 131,000 measles cases, highlighting the urgent need for immunization.
During the drive, rubella vaccination will be administered alongside the measles-rubella (MR) vaccine to 35.4 million children aged 6 months to under five years. The campaign will also include oral polio drops in high-risk areas.
NEOC officials stressed that rubella vaccination is crucial to prevent outbreaks, especially in districts with limited access to healthcare. Free vaccines will be available to all children within the target age group across Pakistan, including Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Islamabad.
“In specific high-risk districts, polio drops will be administered along with the measles-rubella vaccine to ensure comprehensive protection for every child,” NEOC stated.
The MR vaccine, which includes rubella vaccination, will cover 35 million children nationwide. In addition, oral polio drops will be given to 22.9 million children in 89 high-risk districts to protect them against lifelong paralysis.
Officials highlighted that previous outbreaks have occurred due to gaps in immunization coverage, misinformation, and limited access to health facilities in remote areas. The nationwide campaign aims to close these gaps and protect children against preventable diseases.
The NEOC emphasized that the combined vaccination effort will safeguard more than 36.4 million children across the country, strengthening Pakistan’s public health system and reducing the risk of measles and rubella outbreaks.
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