The authorities have also been ordered to launch an effective wide-spread awareness campaign. PHOTO: FILE
The Sindh High Court directed the provincial government on Wednesday to ensure the availability of vaccination at each basic health unit in the province to immunise children against measles and rubella, particularly the girls in schools.
The authorities have also been ordered to launch an effective wide-spread awareness campaign, informing people of the adverse effects of measles, rubella and other related diseases and their causes and prevention methods.
Headed by Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar, the bench passed this order while disposing of a petition seeking directions to the authorities to take measures to control the outbreak of the deadly rubella virus in the province.
The judges told the special health secretary, Dr Mansoor Rizvi, that the awareness campaign should be launched in a language that is understood throughout the province.
23 deaths confirmed
Dr Rizvi admitted that at least 23 deaths due to measles and rubella have been recorded this year in Thatta and Sajjawal. The secretary claimed the government has commenced an emergency 12-day measles campaign for children aged between six months and 10 years. “By the end of this year, around 1,330,000 children will be immunised against measles,” he claimed.
He further said that, after various health units, lady health workers and vaccinators are also carrying out vaccination in various parts of the province.
The two-judges bench ordered the health secretary to expand the programme and make it more effective through a strict monitoring system. They ordered that adequate immunisation facilities should be made available at every single health unit in the province.
Immunisation service at schools
Dow University of Health Sciences’ Dr Rumina Tabbasum said that if a mother is not immunised before the delivery of her child, then the immunisation of the new-born is essential. She suggested that the immunisation of girls between the ages of 13 and 23 should be carried out in schools, which will make it more convenient.
Taking the suggestion into consideration, the bench directed the relevant authorities to include the immunisation programme in the school health services for girls in all public and private schools.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 23rd, 2014.
COMMENTS (1)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Heard: Disease control is an issue which should take immediate precedence in the national agenda. Issuing laptops and presenting cash prizes seem more like an unnecessary luxury in light of the worsening public health situation of the country. Provincial governments and common citizens, take note.