Children inoculated against coronavirus can get measles vaccine, says Ghani

Sindh Information and Labour Minister Saeed Ghani has said that children over the age of 12 who have been vaccinated against the coronavirus can also get inoculated against rubella and measles without any harm, as the relevant medical practitioners have okayed it.

Ghani stated this on Saturday as he addressed a ceremony held at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre before the formal commencement of the upcoming rubella and measles vaccination campaign for children from November 15 to 27. Children were also immunised against rubella and measles on the occasion to kick off the vaccination campaign.

He lamented that parents even in the present day and age lack awareness about the need of vaccination to protect the health of their children. He said parents do not know how effective a single drop of vaccine is for the protection of their children’s health.

He also said the presence of paramedical staff and healthcare workers is as much necessary to conduct the vaccination campaign as is the presence of doctors and engineers to get different jobs done in today’s world.

Ghani said the Sindh government would announce special honours and certificates for the health workers and paramedical staff who performed a massive humanitarian service by taking an active role in the vaccination drives to protect the health of children.

He praised the role of the health workers who went door to door to persuade parents to get their children vaccinated despite the fact that many families in Pakistan refused to participate in the vaccination drive.

He said the upcoming inoculation drive would cover 18 million children of Sindh in 13 days, and the Sindh government has established vaccination centres for the purpose at public schools, hospitals and dispensaries. He also said the upcoming immunisation campaign would cover children between the ages of nine months and 15 years.

He appreciated the exceptional performance of the health officials of District South of Karachi demonstrated earlier to conduct the polio and coronavirus immunisation campaigns.

He hoped the South district would show the same excellent results in conducting the vaccination campaign against rubella and measles.

The minister expressed gratitude to the Pakistan Paediatric Association for playing its due role in dispelling any misconceptions regarding the rubella and measles vaccination for children over 12 years who have been immunised against the coronavirus.

He also praised the World Health Organisation and the United Nations Children’s Fund for their support in conducting the inoculation drive to protect the health of Pakistan’s children. He urged parents, civil society and media to play their due role for the success of the vaccination drive.

Ghani lamented that parents in Pakistan had been convinced against the vaccination campaign for children, but even then, he said, healthcare professionals and workers were able to persuade families to get their children vaccinated, while the results of the immunisation drives were also achieved by them to the maximum possible extent.

Covid kills three more

Three more patients of the coronavirus died overnight, bringing the death toll to 7,603 as 68 new cases emerged when 3,611 tests were conducted.

This was stated by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in a statement issued here on Saturday.

He said that three more patients lost their lives, taking the death toll to 7,603 that constituted a 1.6 per cent death rate.

Murad said that 3,611 samples were tested, which detected 68 cases, showing a 1.9 per cent detection rate. So far 6,574,333 tests have been conducted against which 472,112 cases have been detected. Of them 95.7 per cent or 452,022 patients have recovered, including 211 overnight. Currently 12,487 patients were under treatment -- 12,272 in home isolation, 21 at isolation centres and 194 at hospitals. He added that the condition of 190 patients was stated to be critical, including 14 shifted onto ventilators.