National measles-rubella vaccination drive launched

Bhaktapur, Feb 25: The national measles-rubella vaccination campaign 2080-81 commenced today.     

Minister for Health and Population, Mohan Bahadur Basnet, inaugurated the campaign by handing vaccines and related logistics to Health Office Bhaktapur's Chief, Asmita Ojha, amidst a programme at the Sanothimi-based Adarsha Secondary School. It was announced on the occasion that the drive was inaugurated nationwide simultaneously.     

Speaking at an inaugural session, Minister Basnet urged one and all, including health professionals, volunteers, local levels and stakeholders concerned to contribute from the respective sides for making the drive a success. The government aims to eliminate measles-rubella from the country by 2026.     

During the campaign to run till March 20, vaccines will be administered to over 5.7 million children including those four percent who were excluded in the previous campaigns.     

Children from nine months to 15 years of age from 21 districts of Terai region, dubbed vulnerable zone, will be administered the vaccine, while in case of remaining 51 districts, the children from nine months to five years will be jabbed.(RSS)