Measles kills 71 children nationwide in the first four months of 2026

KARACHI: Seventy-one children, including 40 in Sindh, have already lost their lives to measles in the first four months of this year as the provincial government held a series of public awareness activities on Saturday in connection with World Immunisation Week.

Sindh has recorded 40 out of 71 total deaths according to published statistics. Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had 12 each, and Balochistan had four. The numbers have been released as we celebrate World Immunisation Week 2026 from April 24 to 30 with the theme of “Vaccines Work For Every Generation”.

Health officials attributed the outbreak partly to a large cohort of “zero-dose” children, those who have not received any vaccinations, formed during disruptions in healthcare access during the COVID-19 period. They said routine immunisation coverage gaps continue to fuel outbreaks in several districts, particularly in northern Sindh.

Fifty-eight per cent of Pakistani children remained at risk due to being unimmunised or under-immunised, he added.

Abdul Ghafoor Shoro called for urgent investment in local vaccine manufacturing, expansion of digital immunisation registries, and mobile outreach teams to reach underserved populations, alongside stronger protection for healthcare workers.

Officials cautioned that without sustained intervention, preventable diseases such as measles will continue to claim young lives despite the availability of free vaccines nationwide.

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