Polio drops ineffective on malnourished children: Pechuho

Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho has revealed that polio drops are ineffective on children suffering from malnutrition and diarrhoea.

To address this issue, the government has decided to give injectable vaccines to such children during the polio eradication campaign.

She was addressing a press conference at the Sindh Secretariat along with Provincial Health Secretary Rehan Baloch.

Dr Azra stressed on the need to make the annual performance of the health department public in order to create awareness among citizens.

Highlighting the important progress made in Sindh, including providing pediatric and neonatal ICU services to reduce the mortality rate of newborns, Dr Azra said that a pediatric ICU has been established in Korangi No. 5 and is being expanded so that surgery facilities can also be provided.

In addition, a general ICU facility has also been provided in the gynecology ward at Jinnah Hospital.

Dr Azra said that pediatric and neonatal ICU facilities are also being provided in Sukkur, Larkana and Jamshoro. She announced that more manpower will be recruited for these units in the coming year.

Moreover, a surgical unit will be established in Korangi No. 5 and a centre has been built near Numaish for training in pediatric ICU, where model and hands-on training is being provided.

Dr Azra said that the government has set a target of making 75 per cent of deliveries in Sindh facility-based, with efforts to increase this rate to 90 per cent in coming days.

She also shed light on the progress with regard to nursing programmes in Sindh, mentioning that efforts are being made to start a masters programme so that nursing education can be licensed at the international level. Efforts are also being made to provide degree courses to paramedics instead of certificates.

Dr Azra said that steps are being taken to prevent spread of HIV in Sindh and a campaign is being run against polio for children under the age of five. This year, 18 polio cases have been reported in Sindh and environmental samples are also coming positive, due to which it has been decided to give injectable vaccine to vulnerable segments, particularly malnourished children. She further mentioned that Sindh has become tetanus free.

Dr Azra said that an investigation is underway into the alleged harassment incident with a female doctor in the urology ward of Jinnah Hospital, vowing strict action if the case is proved.