QUETTA: Balochistan has launched a large-scale measles-rubella vaccination campaign beginning today (Nov 17), aiming to inoculate more than 2.2 million children across the province. The effort, announced by the Expanded Programme on Immunisation’s (EPI) provincial coordinator Dr Aftab Kakar, will continue until Nov 29.
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Speaking at a press conference, Dr Kakar warned that measles remains a serious and persistent health threat for children in Balochistan. Over 1,700 cases have already been reported in 2025, though officials believe the true number is significantly higher due to chronic underreporting in remote districts.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, he noted that more than 20 children lose their lives to measles every year in the province. Many of these deaths, he said, could be prevented through timely vaccination and stronger awareness campaigns.
Health teams have been mobilised across all districts, including hard-to-reach rural and mountainous areas, in an attempt to ensure maximum coverage. Officials emphasised that community cooperation is crucial, urging parents to bring their children for vaccination to help curtail future outbreaks.
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The campaign forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the province’s immunisation system, which continues to struggle due to resource shortages, weak infrastructure, and resistance in certain communities.