The Government of Pakistan’s Federal Directorate for Immunization (FDI), in partnership with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), UNICEF, and the World Health Organization (WHO), launched a national measles and rubella (MR) vaccination campaign in Islamabad today to protect 34.6 million children.

The campaign runs from 17 to 29 November 2025 across all provinces and territories and aims to vaccinate children aged 6 months to 59 months against these deadly, preventable diseases. Vaccination will be provided at fixed centers, outreach sites, schools, and seminaries, and is available free of cost to all eligible children. The oral polio vaccine will also be provided to children under five in partnership with Pakistan’s Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI), whose teams will help carry out the measles and rubella campaign in collaboration with the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI).

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“Today marks a pivotal moment for public health in Pakistan. We are resolute in our commitment to protect every child from preventable diseases like measles and rubella. This campaign is a testament to the strength of our national resolve and the invaluable partnerships we hold with WHO, Gavi, UNICEF, and all our collaborators. I urge all parents, teachers, and community leaders to ensure every child of our country aged 6 to 59 months receives this vaccine. Together, we are building a healthier, more resilient future for our children, ensuring that no child is left behind in our pursuit of universal health coverage,” said Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal.

“Protecting our children from vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and rubella is a national priority. This campaign is a massive undertaking to ensure a healthier, more resilient future for our nation. The Government of Pakistan is committed to reaching every child and preventing tragic deaths caused by measles complications,” said Dr Soofia Yunus, Director General of the Federal Directorate for Immunization.

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“The scientific evidence is clear: vaccines save lives and protect our children from deadly diseases like measles and rubella,” said Dr Luo Dapeng, WHO Representative in Pakistan. “WHO is proud to stand with Pakistan and the Federal Directorate of Immunization and support more than 140,000 health workers on the ground to leave no child behind, no matter where they live or who they are.”

Pakistan has registered over 17,000 measles cases this year across 475 union councils with an incidence rate of 66.65 measles cases per million, three times higher than the WHO threshold for measles outbreaks to be classified as “large and disruptive”.

Measles poses life-threatening risks, especially for children under five. More than half of these cases were among zero-dose children, those who have not received any routine measles vaccine – underscoring the urgent need for this supplementary MR campaign. Measles is highly contagious requiring at least 95% vaccine coverage with 2 doses of measles/rubella vaccine to prevent outbreaks.

“Today marks an important milestone for children across Pakistan. The measles-rubella vaccine can protect millions of children from preventable and life-threatening diseases, giving children the chance to grow, learn, and thrive. UNICEF is proud to partner with the Government of Pakistan, WHO, and Gavi to ensure every child has the opportunity for a healthy future,” said Pernille Ironside, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan.

Since 2000, measles vaccination has saved an estimated 60 million lives worldwide. Pakistan’s national measles and rubella vaccination campaign is an important step toward the global goal of eliminating measles and controlling rubella in lower-income countries by 2030.

Parents, teachers, and community leaders are urged to ensure all eligible children are vaccinated during the campaign to protect them from measles and rubella and secure a healthier future.

“Through our long-standing partnerships with Pakistan and other countries around the world, Gavi is working to strengthen immunization systems so that life-saving vaccines, including the measles and rubella vaccine, reach every child. This campaign is an important step toward closing immunity gaps nationwide,” said Carrie Gheen, Gavi’s Senior Country Manager for Pakistan.