Measles is another warning Pakistan cannot ignore

July 20, 2026

We are already fighting a long and painful battle against polio. Now measles has become a second crisis. This year alone, 102 children have died from measles across the country. Sindh has recorded the highest number of deaths, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Balochistan. These are not just numbers. Each death represents a child who could have been saved with a simple vaccine.

Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known to medicine. It spreads through coughing, sneezing and even close contact. A child does not need direct exposure to get infected. Being in the same room as an infected person is often enough. This is why outbreaks spread so quickly in crowded communities with low vaccination rates.

The scale of infections this year is alarming. Punjab has reported more than 11,000 suspected cases. Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have reported even higher numbers of suspected infections. Thousands of these cases have been confirmed through laboratory testing. Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad have also reported cases. No region has been spared.

The tragedy is that measles is preventable. A safe and effective vaccine has existed for decades. Children who receive both required doses are protected for life in most cases. Yet routine immunisation coverage in Pakistan remains dangerously low in many areas. Vaccine hesitancy, poor access to health facilities and weak monitoring systems all play a role.

The people most at risk are children under the age of five, especially those suffering from malnutrition. Malnourished children have weaker immune systems. For them, measles can trigger serious complications such as pneumonia, severe diarrhoea and swelling of the brain. These complications can be fatal if treatment is delayed.

Pakistan cannot afford to let another vaccine preventable disease spiral out of control. The country already carries the burden of being one of the last places in the world where polio remains endemic. That failure should have taught hard lessons about the cost of weak immunisation systems. Instead, measles numbers suggest those lessons have not been fully learned.

The government must treat this outbreak with urgency. Vaccination campaigns need to reach every district, including remote and underserved areas. Health workers require better training, resources and support to carry out door to door immunisation drives. Public awareness campaigns must address misinformation and build trust in vaccines among parents.

Provincial health departments cannot work in isolation. A coordinated national strategy is needed, backed by consistent funding and strong monitoring. Every child in Pakistan has the right to grow up protected from preventable diseases.