KABUL (SW): As the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) launched nationwide anti-Measle drive, health experts stated some 12 cases of Measle’ outbreak has occurred in Afghanistan this year alone.
With technical and financial support from The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the ministry would make sure to vaccinate some 5.5 million children across the country. Ahmad Naeem, Deputy Minister Public Health, told journalists in Kabul today that the campaign would be target children between the age of 9 months and 5 years.
He said the campaign would cost $ 4.5 million and would be conducted with the help of over 27 thousand volunteers. “We would try to cover at least 95 percent of the children as a fundamental step towards the ultimate end of Measles from Afghanistan”, he said.
Measles, also known as morbilli, rubeola, or red measles, is a highly contagious infection caused by the measles virus. Initial signs and symptoms typically include fever, often greater than 40 °C (104.0 °F), cough, runny nose, and red eyes.
Vaccination has resulted in a 75% decrease in deaths from measles between 2000 and 2013 with about 85% of children globally being currently vaccinated. Recent statistics suggest over 300 children die every day from this disease.
UNICEF Country Representative Akhil Iyer congratulated the MoPH on the occasion for taking the initiative.
“Providing vaccines alone is not enough, mothers and care givers needs to be aware of the benefits of measles’ immunizations”, he said while stressing upon the need for communication and social mobilization efforts.
He appealed to all parents and care givers to bring their children to the immunization sites and encourage their friends and neighbors about the campaign against the killer diseases.
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