Public health: Five suspended for negligence

Polio case reported in Jhang, vaccinators accused of missing patient’s house during campaign.

JHANG:

Five Health Department officials have been suspended for negligence in a polio vaccination campaign in Jhang after a polio case was detected in the district.

A report of National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad has confirmed polio in three-year-old Sajida, a resident of Kholara area.

The case was referred to the NIH after the disease was suspected in a preliminary examination at Jhang district headquarters (DHQ) hospital a week ago. The NIH report confirmed polio on Tuesday.

The suspended officials have been identified as Ahmed Sher, the assistant superintendent of the vaccination campaign; Mohammad Hanif, a health inspector; Abdul Rahman, a vaccinator; Muhammad Khaliq, a senior vaccinator; and Muhammad Ramzan.

Health Superintendent Abdul Ghafoor told The Express Tribune that these officials had failed to administer the polio vaccine at four houses in Kholara area, including Sajida’s house.

EDO (Health) Khalid Islam has confirmed that some areas of the district were missed in the vaccination campaign.

He said a World Health Organisation survey had first detected the lapse and referred the matter to the government.

The EDO said he would also issue a show cause notice to Jhang DHQ hospital medical superintendent for his failure to provide adequate treatment to the child.

He said Dr Mumtaz Sial had been directed to ensure that the best possible treatment was provided to the child.

The EDO further said the matter had been referred to the Health Department secretariat who would investigate it further and take appropriate action.

He said he had not yet received any instructions from them.

Muhammad Siddique, father of the child, said he had never been contacted by anyone from the Health Department for administration of polio drops to his daughter.

He said no government official had contacted him for treatment of his daughter.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2012.