QUETTA: Provincial health authorities have postponed the measles eradication campaign scheduled from Aug 17 to 19 in Quetta because of security concerns.

Over 5,000 teams of health workers and volunteers had been set up by the health department to participate in the drive.

The health department had decided to hold a campaign in the area after it was reported that two children from Khuzdar, who were suffering from measles, died. It was later learnt that a large number of children in the district were suffering from the illness.

“The scheduled anti-measles campaign has been postponed due to security concerns as we cannot compromise on the safety of our workers,” said a senior official of the health department.

He added that since foolproof security arrangements could not be made, their volunteers were vulnerable and it was too big a risk to take.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2017