Measles outbreak: ‘Health officials need to improve their attitude’

Officials should work honestly for the eradication of measles: DCO.

FAISALABAD:

District Coordination Officer (DCO) Najam Ahmad Shah on Saturday said the spread of measles in the district was due to negligence on the part of the Health Department staff.

He was visiting the measles ward at Divisional Headquarters Hospital here on Saturday.

He said, “The health department officers and officials should work honestly for the eradication of measles. Else, strict action would be taken against them.” Shah said the disease had spread rapidly due to the delinquency of the health staff.

He said, “Arrangements should also be made to deal with gastroenteritis, cholera and other seasonal diseases.”

The hospital medical superintendent Dr Muhammad Arif Ali told The Express Tribune that separate wards had been set up at the hospital for measles and other seasonal diseases.

He said, “As many as 470 measles patients had so far been treated and discharged from the hospital… 17 children suffering from measles are still admitted in the hospital where they are being well looked after.”

Ali said additional medical and paramedical staff had been deputed in the measles ward. He said emergency situations could also be handled as there was no shortage of medicines.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 2^nd, 2013.