Measles Vaccination Can Protect Children Against Unseen Dangers: Doctor

Health expert Wednesday emphasized on the importance of ongoing anti-measles vaccination as a safe way to prevent children from this contagious diseases.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Oct, 2018 ) :Health expert Wednesday emphasized on the importance of ongoing anti-measles vaccination as a safe way to prevent children from this contagious diseases.

General Secretary Pakistan Pediatric Association (PPA), Dr Khalid Shafi while talking to a private news channel urged parents and their children to go to their nearest clinic or hospitals for vaccination as soon as possible, because with measles, prevention is far better than cure.

He said measles is a highly contagious disease which can be fatal in children, but is preventable with vaccination, adding that two doses of measles vaccine are supposed to be given to all children in life.

Measles is a viral infection that easily spread from person to person through saliva, by coughing, sneezing or being in close contact with an infected person, he highlighted. It can cause severe complications, including blindness, deafness, brain damage, pneumonia and even death.

He informed that Pakistan was amongst countries where measles was a big health challenge.

It's outbreak often makes way and takes the lives of minors as a large proportion of children are not vaccinated against measles.

He lauded the successful implementation of the national measles campaign, adding that the initiative, which aims to provide free immunization against measles, has been ongoing for the last two days and is set to conclude at the end of this month.

"The ongoing anti-measles campaign will not be abandoned at any cost because we want to save our children from this fatal disease," he noted.

He suggested that media should play a positive role in making the campaign successful by creating sufficient awareness among public about the importance of anti-measles vaccination.

He also appreciated the efforts of UNICEF and WHO for knowledge sharing and training of the doctors, nurses and lady health workers and assured that government would extend full cooperation to make the anti-measles campaign a success.