KATHMANDU, Feb 21: The government is going to conduct a nationwide vaccination campaign against measles and rubella from February 25.

According to the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), the vaccination campaign will be conducted nationwide from February 25 to March 20.

Measles and rubella are highly contagious and deadly diseases, and children can die from them, so the government is going to conduct a vaccination campaign to prevent them.

According to the ministry, children under five years of age will also be given discounted regular vaccinations in the campaign. The MoHP has also requested children who missed regular vaccinations to bring their regular vaccination cards with them when they go to the vaccination center.

Dr Abhiyan Gautam, head of the Immunization Branch of the Family Welfare Division under the Department of Health Services, said that the target is to vaccinate more than 5.7 million children under the Immunization Campaign.

According to him, vaccination against measles-rubella is about to be given in 24 districts including the Kathmandu Valley.

Given the risk of measles-rubella infection, all children between the ages of nine months and 15 years in the 21 districts of the Terai bordering India and the three districts of the Kathmandu Valley - Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur - will be vaccinated against measles-rubella.

According to him, in the remaining 51 districts, children between the ages of nine months and five years will also be included in the vaccination campaign. In the remaining two districts, Jajarkot and Rukum West, the vaccination campaign has already been conducted.

Dr Gautam also said that the government is going to conduct a vaccination campaign to eliminate measles and rubella by 2026.

 
• government
 
• measles
 
• rubella