ISLAMABAD: The National Inter-Agency Coordination Commi­ttee (NICC) approved on Wedne­sday the launch of a country-wide campaign to vaccinate six million children against measles and rubella.

The decision was made during a meeting chaired by Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Health, Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath.

The meeting discussed a proposal made by the Federal Dire­ctorate of Immunisation (FDI) that children aged between six months and 59 months be vaccinated against the two diseases across the country. The proposal was based on recommendations of the National Immunisation Technical Advisory Group (NITAG).

According to a statement, the aim of the campaign will be to pre-empt “potential outbreaks” of measles and rubella in 2025 and 2026 as estimates suggest that over six million children under the age of five years will be susceptible to measles by the end of this year.

Click to see more

Dr Bharath emphasised the importance of the initiative in protecting Pakistan’s children from vaccine-preventable diseases. “The approval of the measles-rubella campaign marks a significant step in our collective efforts to reduce the vulnerability of millions of children to the potentially devastating diseases.”

Federal Health Secretary Nadeem Mahbub stated that approval of the measles-rubella campaign by the NICC is a “critical milestone in our ongoing fight” against vaccine-preventable diseases.

“We thank Gavi (the Global Vaccine Alliance) for funding this campaign and its ongoing support for the strengthening of routine immunisation.

“With over six million children under the age of five at risk of contracting measles, this campaign is essential to safeguarding the health of our youngest and most vulnerable citizens. We are committed to working with our provincial and international partners to ensure that this campaign is implemented efficiently and reaches every child in need,” the health secretary said.

Dr Zafar Iqbal Channa, a senior FDI official, said the meeting reaffirmed the government’s commitment to combating vaccine-preventable diseases and to achieving high immunisation coverage nationwide.

With the NICC’s endorsement, preparations for the campaign will begin immediately, focusing on ensuring all necessary resources and structures are in place by the fourth quarter of 2025.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2024