DERA ISMAIL KHAN: A six-day measles prevention campaign has been launched in Dera Ismail Khan to vaccinate over 300,000 children.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, EPI coordinator Dr Irfan Aziz said that as many as 892 cases of measles had been reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa till July 3. He said that the anti-measles drive had been launched in 12 districts of the province, including Dera Ismail Khan.

He said that around 318,531 children would be vaccinated against measles in 47 union councils of Dera district for which 450 teams had been formed. External monitors have also arrived to check the work of 400 outreach teams.

Meanwhile, the district health department appointed 82 first-level supervisors and 18 second-level supervisors for monitoring the campaign.

The teams will work in the field from 9am to 4pm to vaccinate children from six months to seven years of age.

District health officer Dr Arif Mahmood and EPI health officer Taskeen Abbas were also present on the occasion.

COVID VACCINATION: About 70,000 people have been vaccinated in 40 active vaccination centres across the district during the national campaign to contain Covid-19.

Talking to this correspondent, deputy commissioner Arifullah Awan said here on Tuesday that so far no adverse effects of the vaccine had been reported in any citizen during the vaccination.

He urged the people to get the vaccine immediately to protect themselves and their family members from coronavirus.

The deputy commissioner said that the vaccine was available in all the 40 centres in Dera Ismail Khan and the citizens could visit them to get the jabs.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2021