Pakistan's Nationwide Vaccine Campaign Targets Millions of Children

Pakistan has initiated a two-week nationwide vaccination campaign aiming to protect over 57 million children from measles, rubella, and polio. The effort follows significant training and preparation, aiming to curb the diseases, especially in light of recent polio setbacks and ongoing challenges.

In a significant public health initiative, Pakistan launched a countrywide vaccination campaign on Monday, targeting more than 57 million children to fight against measles, rubella, and polio, according to the National Emergency Operations Centre.

This critical drive, which concludes on November 29, aims to provide 34.5 million children with measles and rubella vaccines, while polio drops will be administered to 23.3 million children. The campaign is supported by over 140,000 health workers trained by the World Health Organization.

The urgency of this campaign is underscored by Pakistan's troubling health statistics; over the past three years, the nation has reported over 131,000 measles cases. Furthermore, persistent militant threats pose challenges, as Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the last two nations yet to eliminate polio.

(With inputs from agencies.)