New Phase of Measles Vaccination Campaign Begins in Pakistan

The Measles Initiative announced that Pakistan launched the next phase of its national measles vaccination campaign. The government plans to immunize more than 63 million children by March 2008.

The Measles Initiative is a partnership led by the American Red Cross, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the UN Foundation, the United Nations Children’s Fund and the World Health Organization.

Approximately 3,200 trained health staff and social mobilization volunteers will vaccinate children between the ages of 9 months and 13 years during the 17-day campaign, the Measles Initiative said.

The organization said that it hopes its efforts lower measles deaths 90 percent worldwide by 2010.