The World Health Organisation (WHO) has partnered with the Government of Pakistan to train over 140,000 health workers for an upcoming nationwide measles and rubella (MR) vaccination campaign targeting 35.4 million children aged between 6 and 59 months.
Scheduled to take place from November 17 to 29, 2025, the campaign aims to bridge a widening immunity gap that could put more than 6.7 million children under five at risk of infection next year, according to a press statement from WHO.
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In selected high-risk districts, polio drops will also be administered to children under five in collaboration with the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI), whose teams will work alongside the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI). The drive, supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, includes comprehensive training sessions for vaccinators, team assistants and social mobilisers focusing on microplanning, safe injection practices and management of adverse events.
The WHO’s contribution to the campaign includes technical guidance, planning support, data analysis, readiness assessments and monitoring, in coordination with the Federal Directorate of Immunisation (FDI) and EPI teams at both federal and provincial levels.
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Pakistan continues to face serious challenges from measles and rubella outbreaks, with cases reported in 432 Union Councils across 101 districts. WHO data shows that the country recorded 80 measles cases per million people in 2025—four times the threshold for a large outbreak—while over 57% of 16,000 reported cases this year were among zero-dose children, highlighting the urgent need for widespread immunisation.