Bashir Hussain Azad | Chitral Today
Chitral, Oct 30, 2025: The Health Department Lower Chitral will launch a Measles and Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign from November 17 to 29 as part of the nationwide drive to protect children from these contagious diseases.
The department aims to immunize 48,885 children aged between six months and five years across the district during the campaign.
At a press briefing at the Chitral Press Club on Thursday, District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. Shameem Ahmed, District EPI Coordinator Dr. Farman Nazar, District Child Specialist Dr. Gulzar Ahmed and Dr. Qaiser highlighted the urgent need to control measles and rubella, which infect thousands of children in Pakistan every year. They stressed that timely vaccination is the most effective way to prevent these illnesses.
Dr. Ahmed said the health department has formed 65 vaccination teams to visit every village in Lower Chitral and ensure that no eligible child is left unvaccinated. He added that the department has set up 15 fixed vaccination centers in hospitals to make the process easier for parents.
He urged residents to cooperate with vaccinators so the campaign can meet its target and help eliminate measles and rubella from the region.
The health officials explained that vaccination offers the strongest protection against the severe complications caused by these diseases. They described the symptoms of measles, noting that the infection usually appears within a week, starting with a cold, cough, and redness around the eyes, followed by red rashes that spread from the head to the feet.
The doctors said they detected measles and rubella cases in the district earlier this year. They collected 78 samples from children and sent them to Islamabad for testing, which confirmed 13 cases of measles and one case of rubella.
The officials urged school administrations to remain alert and to separate children with fever or rashes from healthy students to stop the disease from spreading. They appealed to parents, teachers, and community leaders to take an active part in the upcoming campaign and help protect the health and future of Chitral’s children.
Measles, rubella vaccination drive launched in Upper Chitral.