Plugging an outbreak: K-P unveils plan for a 12-day measles campaign

According to DHS data, there have been 3,666 ‘suspected’ cases of the disease in 2014.

PESHAWAR:

Following Sehat ka Insaf, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government has announced a 12-day-long immunisation campaign against measles.

Funded by the GAVI Alliance (formerly the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization), the campaign will start in May. During these 12 days, 4,341 teams will attempt to vaccinate 1,501,466 children up to the age of 10.

“It was after observing the measles situation in Punjab and Sindh that we arranged this campaign to prevent any future outbreak of measles,” said Minister of Health Shahram Tarakai at a news conference at the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) on Thursday. Routine immunisation campaigns against measles and other diseases remain under way, added Tarakai.

According to Tarakai, the dedicated measles campaign has been designed for 26 districts where the vaccination of children under five will be supported by the GAVI Alliance. The vaccination of those who fall outside this bracket but are under 10 years of age will be supported by the provincial government.

I need a dollar

The total cost of the programme is approximately $10 million or Rs986.5 million (exchange rates as of Thursday). The K-P government will bear around Rs470 million, he said. “We are grateful to GAVI for their assistance in this important health issue.”

The operational cost of the project is projected at $6.23 million and the bundle of vaccines will cost $3.83 million. It is estimated the cost of vaccinating each child will be $1.05.

Not an outbreak?

According to data provided by the DHS, at least 3,666 ‘suspected’ cases of measles have been reported during 2014 in the province. Five of these are said to have resulted in death.

Furthermore, 10,000 cases of measles were reported in 2013 of which 15 people died.

However, Tarakai refused to label it an “outbreak”.

The vaccination will be provided through Expanded Programme of Immunisation centres, outreach vaccination teams and mobile vaccination teams. Some of these will be set up at schools, hujras and public places.

During the campaign, the internally displaced persons (IDP) living in camps in the province, and 0.8 million Afghan refugees will also be immunised, said the health minister.

Polio

In addition to the measles campaign, polio vaccines will also be provided in seven districts – Kohat, Hangu, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Tank and DI Khan. At least 43 high-risk union councils of Peshawar and Jalozai IDP camp will also be vaccinated against the poliovirus.

Tarakai added even though the Federally Administered Tribal Areas are not under the K-P government, the province is ready to provide all possible assistance to the federal government to eradicate the polio virus from the country.

But, he said, the centre has to take the initiative.

“A total of 179 transit vaccination points have been set up in the province, 66 of these are in the south of K-P,” shared the health minister.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2014.