Public health: Rs610 million released for measles campaign in Punjab

40 million children up to 10 years of age to be vaccinated in the upcoming drive.

LAHORE:

An anti-measles vaccine booster dose will be given to 40 million children up to 10 years of age in the Punjab, Adviser to the Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique said on Friday. He said Rs610 million had been released for this purpose.

He said, GAVI, a public-private health partnership, was also providing financial assistance for the anti-measles campaign that would be launched in May.

He was talking to reporters after presiding over a monthly health conference with executive district officers.

Heath Secretary Babar Hayat Tarar, Health Services Director General Zahid Pervaiz, the EPI director, divisional health directors, officials from the Punjab AIDS Control Programme, dengue control, hepatitis control, maternal, newborn and child health, family planning and primary healthcare, and representatives of the World Health Organisation, the Melinda Gates Foundation, the United Nations International Children’s Education Fund and the Rotary International were also present.

The performance and status of various health programmes at district level, including polio eradication, routine immunisation, dengue control, maternal, newborn and child health and hepatitis were discussed in the meeting.

Senior officials suggested ways to improve programmes after some officials mentioned problems and deficiencies in implementation of these programmes.

Rafique said that he had been meeting the Punjab Police IG and Pakistan Railways authorities to evolve a strategy for anti-polio campaigns. He also said that the Health Department would administer polio drops to children on trains from Attock to Rawalpindi. For this purpose, he said, polio teams would be deputed at all railway stations on the route. Railway Police would provide security to polio teams, he said.

He said special check posts had also been established at entrances to the province. He said Rotary International was providing cargo containers for setting up these posts.  The containers would be installed on GT Road near Attock next week, he said.

Rafique also stressed the need for keeping an eye on the weather, which he said, was becoming favourable for dengue mosquito breeding. He directed dengue control staff to ensure vigilant surveillance and careful, regular larvaciding.

Cleanliness week

The chief secretary directed city government officials to start the cleanliness week at all public hospitals. During the week, he said, it must be ensured that garbage was removed from hospital premises, water pipes were repaired, stagnant water was removed, and hospital wards and bathrooms cleaned.

Rafique said that government had given a free hand to all executive district officers so they could leave no stone unturned to make the province a healthier and cleaner place for its people. He said he wouldn’t accept any excuses.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 8^th, 2014.