Contagious disease: Faisalabad continues to grapple with chickenpox

It has been observed that large number of adults have fallen victim to disease

FAISALABAD: Faisalabad continues to be in the grip of chickenpox as more than a dozen new cases have been reported in different government-run healthcare centres.

The negligence of the authorities concerned and lack of timely action in controlling the disease has further worsened the situation.

Chickenpox, a contagious disease caused by the Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV), has already taken the lives of over 21 people in Faisalabad’s Allied Hospital alone during the last four months.

Health department officials told The Express Tribune that during the current season at least 1,621 cases of chickenpox were registered in government-run hospitals across Punjab . The highest number of cases were registered in Faisalabad where 834 patients infected with the disease were reported.

However, there are several patients, who prefer to undergo treatment at private clinics and hospitals, due to unavailability of facilities at public sector hospitals.



The health department officials told The Express Tribune there was a general perception among people that chickenpox disease was commonly found in children and normally cured within a few days.

However, for the first time it has been observed that adults have fallen victim to the disease which resulted in several deaths in Faisalabad.

“A high powered committee has been constituted by the provincial health department under the supervision of a senior professor for mortality audit of the deaths due to the chickenpox especially with reference to the adults,” an official said.

He claimed the Punjab government had declared chickenpox a notifyable disease and henceforth private hospitals and practitioners had also been asked to report cases so as to determine the exact number of patients and death ratio.

While speaking to The Express Tribune, Punjab Health Department Special Secretary Dr Faisal Zahoor said, “The Health department has taken a number of initiatives to counter the alarming situation in the province.”

“Chickenpox vaccine has been provided to all such areas which are under the grip of the disease. At present more than 15,000 doses of chickenpox vaccines are available in the stock to meet any eventuality,” he added.

“The vaccination of all the medical staff has also been carried out as more than four staff members also fell victim to chickenpox while providing treatment to the patients,” he maintained.

He pointed out a vaccination campaign is also underway in those areas which were badly hit by the contagious disease.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2017.