Thousands of children in Pakistan succumb to measles every year. All these deaths can be easily prevented with effective immunisation. The government has launched a comprehensive campaign against the disease, which will help protect 63 million children in the country.
Punjab Province, Pakistan: In a small school classroom in the ancient city of Multan in Punjab Province, Samana Khan smiles reassuringly at a little girl named Mahnoor, just before giving her a life-saving inoculation against measles – one of the leading causes of death amongst children worldwide.
“Mahnoor is such a brave girl,” Ms. Khan whispers to the child.
Ms. Khan is part of a comprehensive measles campaign being led by
the Government of Pakistan. Mahnoor is one of 63 million Pakistani
children between 9 months and 13 years of age who are being vaccinated,
with more than 34 million children to be reached in Punjab Province
alone.
The campaign is being supported by the Measles Initative – a
partnership led by the American Red Cross, the United Nations
Foundation, UNICEF, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
and the World Health Organisation – which is committed to reducing
global measles deaths.
Easily preventable
In Pakistan, about 2.1 million cases of measles occur every year.
Over 21,000 children die from measles and its complications annually,
and about 12,000 of them are from Punjab.
Though this disease can be easily prevented through routine
immunisation, a third of children in Pakistan do not receive measles
vaccination, while many others have not developed full immunity. This
nationwide campaign hopes to target both groups.
Training volunteers
An intensive drive to raise awareness about immunisation preceded
the campaign. The drive included meetings with religious leaders,
teachers and the local government and was supplemented by television
and poster campaigns.
Nearly 66,000 people in Punjab Province were trained to carry out
vaccinations at schools and health centres. Mobile teams and
door-to-door visits also helped encourage families to bring their
children to be vaccinated.
“A few years ago, there were many, many cases of measles here,”
recalls the Principal of the Jinnah Pre-Cadet Public High School,
Nayyar Abbas Hashmi. “It is because of the dedication of these
vaccination teams that the number has fallen. They go door-to-door and
tell parents why they should have their children vaccinated. I try to
help influence parents when I can.”
‘They will only benefit’
In the Afsharabad neighbourhood, Akhtar Bibi is one of the
volunteers going door-to-door, asking parents to take their children
for vaccination.
“There are people who refuse,” she notes. “They say ‘our children
will fall ill from the injection’. It's my job to explain to them that,
no, it will only benefit them!”
Parveen Bibi is the mother of two and was pleased to hear from
Akhtar Bibi that the measles campaign had come to her area. Gathering
all the children in her extended family, she helped get them to the
vaccination centre.
“I wanted to have my children vaccinated,” Ms. Bibi says. “I saw
on television how it will help them lead a healthier life. I want only
the best for my daughters.”
