Daily Times

Vaccinations save lives. Nothing new about that. But what to do when complacency by the state turns easily avoidable diseases into horrifying nightmares? While Pakistan may not be alone in still suffering from scanty outbreaks of measles (global immunisation coverage still stands at only 74 percent, far, far away from the 95 percent required to prevent outbreaks), 2024 would still go down in history as one with the largest number of outbreaks. Starting from Kohistan in January, spreading terror in the southern tip in February, then Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and now having killed at least 14 children in Punjab, the incredibly contagious airborne disease is hard at work.

With more than 3,400 reported cases, there’s little wonder how those aware of the ripple effect dread the agonising ordeal. The uninformed are bound to get a heavier hit. Because measles is infectious from four days before the telltale rash appears to four days after, the transmission window is much too broad to be addressed. What could have pushed the proverbial genie inside was an unrelenting immunisation campaign. But while the National Immunisation Policy mandates frequent, widespread programmes to ensure children under the age of five receive their first line of defence against a series of life-threatening diseases, data from the UN child agency screams the need to fill out gaps.

Although parents themselves are responsible for letting their anti-vaccination sentiments cloud common sense, not everything can be blamed on the masses. Yes, more and more individuals have become suspicious of the immunisation drives in the post-COVID world. No qualms about that. Nonetheless, if the reluctance in our part of the world is said to be connected to the influence of local clerics, what’s to explain warnings about a four-fold increase in the lack of trust in vaccines in Canada or how one in four Americans link MMR vaccines to autism? No matter how strong the resistance may be, it remains the government’s job to stick to the internationally mandated health protocols and keep up the fight for public health.

Despite warnings from health experts, its lacklustre response to the measles outbreaks has been nothing short of appalling. It is a stark reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive healthcare reforms and robust vaccination programs. Authorities must take immediate steps to ensure that every child in the country has access to life-saving vaccines and essential healthcare services. It would do well for them to remember that as standing at the wheels of one of the youngest nations in the world, the responsibility to protect these young lives becomes all the more crucial. Let us not fail them. *