KATHMANDU, MARCH 15

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health and Population, Upendra Yadav, has issued a video message urging all parents and guardians to ensure their children receive vaccinations against measles and rubella during the government's ongoing vaccination campaign.

Reminding of Nepal's international commitments to eliminating measles and rubella by 2026 AD, he specifically highlighted the urgent need for a nationwide vaccination campaign, especially in light of the recent surge in disease infections in Tarai/Madhesh and the Kathmandu Valley since November-December last year.

The government has identified 21 districts sharing borders with India and three districts within the Kathmandu Valley as highly vulnerable zones for measles-rubella infection.

The vaccination campaign aims to administer an additional dose of the vaccine to children aged nine months to 15 years in these districts, while children aged nine months to five years will be covered in 51 districts nationwide.

Yadav made it clear that the vaccine provided during this campaign is an additional dose, recommended for all children regardless of whether they have previously received the regular dose or not.

Deputy Prime Minister Yadav requested the health ministry, concerned ministries of the province, district, local level, and partner organizations to run the campaign successfully.

The government has launched the campaign in 75 districts except Rukum (West) and Jajarkot from February 25 to March 20 viewing the risk of measles and rubella infection.

A target has been set to immunize a total of 5.742 million children in these districts.

Around 80 per cent (approximately 4.637 million) of children have received the vaccine against measles and rubella so far under the campaign, said Chief of Child Health and Immunization Section, Dr Abhiyan Gautam.