LUSAKA, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- Health authorities in Zambia on Monday started a mass vaccination of children under the age of 15 against measles.
The vaccination exercise will run up to Saturday, September 24, Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Peter Mwaba said in a statement.
"The Ministry of Health conducts a catch-up immunization campaign every three years, targeting children less than 15 years of age in order to avert measles outbreaks," he said.
He said the introduction of the vaccine was in line with the country and global burden of congenital rubella syndrome, adding that the health of both children and mothers was critical to any nation.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that countries take the opportunity offered by accelerated measles control and elimination activities to introduce rubella-containing vaccine, he added.
