Measles reaction: Ultimatum given to govt to withdraw suspensions

Medical professionals threaten agitation if demand not met in two days.

PESHAWAR: The All Doctors Community (ADC) on Friday rejected the suspension of 17 senior and junior officials of the provincial health department and demanded an independent judicial inquiry.

These officials were suspended over the deaths and adverse reactions of children, said to be caused by the measles vaccine, across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

ADC members held a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club and gave the K-P government an ultimatum to withdraw the suspension notification over the next two days or else face protests. Dr Amir Taj, Dr Umar, Dr Rizwan Rajput, Dr Amir Naseem, Dr Mohammad Qayyam, Dr Rizwan Khan, and other health professionals were also present on the occasion.

Dr Taj, a paediatrician, said it was the K-P government which lead the measles drive from May 19 to May 31 last month. “The K-P government is responsible for the deaths of three children in the province during the campaign,” said Taj.

“Why didn’t the provincial government stop the measles campaign? It could have prevented the deaths of children,” he added. The provincial government should have explained the procedure of the cold chain, transportation, and actual application of the measles vaccines, said Taj.

According to other doctors, the vaccine used in May’s drive was sub-standard, and had cost the provincial kitty losses worth Rs1 billion.

At the news conference, Dr Umar said the measles vaccines were administered mostly through untrained staff appointed on political grounds.

Deaths of children – allegedly because of the vaccine – were also reported in Swabi, Swat, Hangu and Kohat, but the provincial government remained silent on this issue, added Umar.

The doctors gave a two-day deadline to the K-P government to withdraw the order after which they would start an agitation.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2014.