KHUJAND, October 16, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- After long negotiations, elders of a Roma band currently living in the northern Sughd province have agreed for vaccination of their children against measles and rubella.

The source at the Sughd Immunoprophylactic Center said that the Roma band is currently living on the outskirts of the town of Ghafurov, the administrative center of the Bobojonghafruov district.  “Administrators of the center have conducted negotiations with the elders of the band and 101 children from this band have been vaccinated against measles and rubella.

In all, the measles and rubella immunization campaign targets 641,209 children between 12 months and 14 years old in the province.  “The campaign has successfully covered 97.8 percent of the targeted population as 627,378 children have been vaccinated to this date,” the source said.

The measles and rubella immunization campaign was launched in Tajikistan on September 28.  The vaccination should be carried out amongst more than 2.5 million children between 12 months and 14 years old.