KABUL (SW) – The Ministry of Public Health plans to administer vaccines against measles to millions of children across the country this year.
Ferozuddin Feroz, minister for the MoPH, told a moot in this connection on Saturday that the vaccination drive would cost up to $ 8.7 million funded by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization. The minister said the vaccination drive would be completed in two phases with the help of some 41350 professional administrators.
The first ten-day phase began today while the second and final round of vaccination would take place in October.
According to the statistics provided by the MoPH, up to 25335 cases of measles were reported across the country last year, and 68 people lost their lives to it.
Measles is extremely infectious and its continued circulation in a community depends on the generation of susceptible hosts by birth of children. 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 inflamed eyes. The measles vaccine is effective at preventing the disease. Vaccination has resulted in a 75% decrease in deaths from measles between 2000 and 2013 with about 85% of children globally being currently vaccinated.
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