WHO blames insufficient routine immunization for measles outbreak

KARACHI: The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that insufficient immunization had triggered the current outbreak of measles in different parts of the country.

Over 300 children and adults have died due to measles in the country, 210 children in Sindh alone in 2012, according to the WHO.

The Country Representative of WHO in Pakistan, Dr Guido Sabatinelli, said that the Government of Pakistan’s Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) failed to achieve its objectives.

The EPI, which is technically supported by the WHO and Unicef, was supposed to immunize infants up to 11 months old against various diseases.

The EPI is also supposed to protect the newborn against neonatal tetanus.

As per the survey of Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement (PSLM–2010/11), Pakistan’s routine immunization coverage does not meet the optimal routine immunization rate of more than 80 percent.

“Pakistan’s routine immunization coverage is close to 65 percent with only some important cities of Punjab recording a better performance,” the WHO country representative stated.

He said that the huge difference in routine immunization coverage between provinces, districts and cities was at the root of the current measles outbreak.

The statement adds that WHO is recommending adequate steps both on emergency and long–term basis to the provincial governments to ensure that routine immunization coverage is made accessible to each and every child.

“At an average, one single EPI vaccination centre in a Union Council caters to a population of 20,000 to 30,000 which is simply not enough to cater to the total population of any Union Council,” remarked Dr Sabatinelli.

As an emergency response to the outbreak in Sindh, the provincial ministry has started a large measles vaccination campaign targeting 2.9 million children in eight districts of Sindh.

“Measles campaign has been planned between 31st December 2012 and 9th January 2013 for eight districts in Sindh: Sukkur, Khairpur, Larkana, Qamber–Shadadkot, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Ghotki and Kashmore.

During this campaign, children from nine months to 10 years will be vaccinated.

“A total of 1,300,000 vaccine doses have been dispatched by the national authorities to the eight districts,” stated Dr Sabatinelli.

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