Measles vaccination drive being run in reported cases areas: Azra Pechuho

Karachi: Sindh’s health minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho Wednesday said that a special vaccination campaign being run in the areas with several measles cases.

In a statement Azra Pechuho has said that a vaccine drive being started again from May 13 to 25 for typhoid vaccination. “In Sindh 8.9 million children of six months to 15 years’ age will be vaccinated for typhoid immunization”.

Measles cases have been increasing across most regions mainly due to missed vaccinations during the COVID-19 years when health systems were overwhelmed and fell behind on routine vaccinations for preventable diseases.

“What we are worried about is this year, 2024, we’ve got these big gaps in our immunization programmes and if we don’t fill them really quickly with the vaccine, measles will just jump into that gap,” the WHO’s Natasha Crowcroft, a Senior Technical Adviser on Measles and Rubella, told a Geneva press briefing in February.

Health minister said that the patients facing hardships in NICVD owing to the capacity of the institute. “The situation will improve after completion of the children’s heart disease hospital”.

“We will talk to the administration of Jinnah Hospital, if fees being received from patients,” the minister replying a question said.

She also said that another robotic machine being arranged each for the Jinnah Hospital and the SIUT.

The health minister expressed reservations over the administration of the Sindh Government’s Children Hospital Nagan Chowrangi adding that the government will try to get back the hospital from the NGO, where forensic audit also not been conducted.