KARACHI: As the long overdue campaign against measles has already begun in the city, the provincial health ministry has resolved to fight the vaccine-preventable disease more vigorously, it emerged on Monday.

“This disease among children could result in blindness and even death. We have planned to defend against it through more innovative means with added vigour and zeal,” said a senior official in the health ministry.

In this context, he said, formal instructions had already been passed on to the authorities concerned in all districts of Sindh.

Measles is among the diseases which afflict thousands of children every year despite tall claims by the officials about greater investment being made for its eradication.

Officials said despite hectic persuasion, most parents did not bring their children for inoculation against measles with vaccine available for free at designated government outlets.

The Expanded Progr­amme on Immunisation (EPI) and the Sindh health ministry launched a nine-day-long measles campaign in the city from Friday which is being conducted in 166 union councils of Karachi, which included some UCs which would be partially targeted.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2017