Kathmandu, Aug. 9 -- The government had committed to eliminating measles and rubella by 2019 but with its efforts failing to contain the prevalence of these two diseases, the Ministry of Health and Population has decided to postpone the deadline.

Officials at the immunisation section at the Family Welfare Division of the Department of Health Services said that the measles-rubella elimination deadline could extend by up to four to five years.

"We have been working to extend the deadline for elimination of measles and rubella," Dr Jhalak Sharma, chief of immunisation section, told the Post, "We have been discussing the new deadline with all concerned stakeholders, including the World Health Organization, UNICEF and others."

Measles is a ...