Vaccination for measles, rubella from Feb 26
The government is all set to launch a Measles and Rubella vaccination campaign from February 26. It aims to cover 10 million children between the ages of nine months and 15 years. Along with the MR vaccination, polio drops will also be administered to the children.
The campaign that will run in 15 districts in the first phase will cover Aacham, Baitadi, Bajhang, Bajura, Dadeldhura, Darchula, Doti, Kailali and Kanchanpur of the Far-western region and Banke, Bardiya, Dang, Surkhet, Pyuthan, and Rolpa of the Mid-west.
“This is the biggest public health programme of the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP),” Dr Shyam Raj Upreti, director of the Child Health Division under the Department of Health Services, said.
He added that the government will also fix the dates for the vaccination programme in other districts once the procurement process of the vaccines is over.
The government has earmarked Rs 924,913,000 for the programme that will be supported by the WHO, UNICEF, Rotary International and Lions Club International. According to the Nepal Demographic Health Survey 2011, 88 percent of the total children of the country have received the measles
vaccine. The campaign comes as part of the comprehensive multi-year plan 2011-16 under the National Immunisation Programme which has targeted to eliminate measles by 2016.
Measles is a communicable disease marked by fever, runny nose, red eyes and which, according to the WHO, is a leading cause of death among young children worldwide.
Rubella virus is an organism that causes rubella (also known as German measles or the three-day measles) which is thought to be a mild childhood illness. However, rubella can pose a serious threat to the developing foetus if the pregnant mother contracts the virus.
According to government data, it is estimated that pregnant women are the most vulnerable to Rubella and every year around 1,400 children are born with disabilities owing to the disease.
According to the WHO, an estimated 164,000 people died of measles in 2008—mostly children under the age of five.
Posted on: 2012-02-10 09:22
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