ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) has launched an awareness campaign on measles outbreak as well as on hazardous impacts of open defecation among the poor and marginalized communities in Punjab and Sindh.
The PPAF in this connection, organized an orientation workshop on creating awareness about measles and preventive measures at a local hotel which was presided by PPAF Senior Group Head, Public Goods and Services, Zaffar Pervez Sabri and attended by over 100 representatives of its partner organizations, local support & village organizations, community organizations and officials of PPAF, says a statement issued by the Fund here today.
Addressing the participants at the anti-measles ceremony, Zaffar Pervez Sabri emphasized that measles is a curable disease if vaccinated timely and preventive measures are adopted effectively.
He said that cough, red-eyes, appearance of red spots on face and then on hands and feet are the common signs of measles.
The use of contaminated water, unhygienic conditions, hand-washing and non-immunization are the major causes of measles. Zaffar Pervez Sabri said that any affected person could be cured from this disease if provided timely immunization. He said it is important that every child between two months to ten years of age should be immunized against measles. It is a curable disease, which may lead to death if child suffers high temperature and less salt in body.
A strong network of PPAF Community Organizations, Partner Organizations, Local Support Organizations, Village Organizations, schools, health centres and members of third-tier organizations will further sensitize communities on the measles outbreak to prevent children from this disease.
The PPAF has already launched a comprehensive radio campaign in Sindhi and Thari languages to sensitize communities about the outbreak of measles and take preventive measures through FM-93 of Radio Pakistan from May 15-June 15, 2013.
This radio campaign stresses about the importance of immunization of children, timely diagnosis and treatment of measles.
Meanwhile, PPAF has also planned to launch a campaign in six selected union councils in district Layyah for creating awareness among communities on the harmful effects of open defecation and community-led total sanitation.
The purpose of campaign is to trigger behavioral change by self-realization of dangerous effects of open defecation, bring change in sanitation behaviors and come up with possible ways of addressing this issue and disseminating it collectively. Key focus of this campaign is pinpointing harmful effects of poor sanitation and ways of adopting healthy sanitation practices.
More than 70 percent population of Pakistan does not have access to the proper sanitation system, which is one of the main causes of un-ending chain of infectious and abdominal disease break out leading the death of about two million children every year.
Over a decade, PPAF has worked with a range of institutions for the poor i.e. partner organizations, with a diversity of experience and sets of expertise.
This provides a sound and appropriate ground for mutual learning, drawing on success and best practices.
As the lead institution for grassroots development in the country, PPAF focuses on the improvement in lifestyles of the poor, disadvantaged and marginalized segments of the society across Pakistan.
Adopting an integrated, multi-sectoral, community-led, demand-driven strategy, PPAF approach is to develop inclusive, representative, transparent and accountable institutions of the poor. The catalytic role of women in program design, delivery and impact is at the core of all interventions.