ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi on Monday inaugurated the nationwide measles vaccination campaign by administering vaccine to a child.

During the two-week-long campaign from Oct 15 to 27 around 32 million children aging from nine to 60 months would be vaccinated across the country.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony held at Polyclinic, Dr Ali said it was a national duty to save the children from measles.

`Children are the future of Pakistan so they should be protected from diseases. Moreover it is the right of every child to be vaccinated,` he said.

Minister for National Health Services Aamer Mehmood Kiani urged all parents to vaccinate theirchildren against the deadly disease.

`ItisthedutyofeveryPakistani to ensure that every child between nine months and five years of age is vaccinated. In line with the vision of the prime minister, we are paying extra attention to health and well-being of mothers and children,` he said.

Sharing the agenda of the government, minister underscored the importance of health sector inimproving thehuman developmentindex.

`The aim of the present government is to prioritise health and education to bring about improvement in the community`s life,` he said. He emphasised that measles campaign would ensure health of children and improve national indicators ofchild health in the longer run.

National Programme Manager of Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) Dr Syed Saglain Ahmed Gilani in his opening remarks said that Pakistan had experienced a massive measles outbreak in 20112013 followed by a nationwide measles campaign conducted in 2014-15 to check the disease in the country.

He also highlighted the extensive efforts in planning the campaign and engaging all stakeholders to ensure that every child received an additional measles dose. He also stressed that until we are able to mobilise the communities to avail this opportunity, we would not be able to 95pc coverage. Staff Reporter