Health department to make pre-planning for eradication of seasonal diseases

Lahore: Secretary Health Punjab Hassan Iqbal has directed experts of Health Department to make preplanning for eradication of seasonal diseases so that spread of epidemic diseases could be checked.He said this during a briefing by the Health Department about the situation of measles in Punjab today.

Special Secretary Health Babar Hayat Tarar, Additional Secretary Health (Technical) Dr. Anwar Janjua, Director General Health Dr. Tanvir Ahmed, Director EPI Dr. Munir Ahmed and a representative of Bill Gates Foundation Dr. Aslam Chaudhary attended the briefing. Secretary Health stressed the need for evolving a dual system for checking and monitoring of EPI Programme for the children so that routine immunization could be checked properly. He said that Executive District Officer Health is the senior and very responsible officer of the department and these officers, instead of waiting instructions from the Headquarter, should play their active role at district level for eradication of diseases.

A briefing was given to Secretary Health about the present situation of measles and starting a campaign against measles in 18 more districts from June 24. Secretary Health directed that the boards regarding immunization of children should be displayed prominently and permanent basis for the guidance of the people at all basic health centres throughout the province. He directed that special attention should be paid to the vaccination of children residing in katcha areas, gypsy localities, border areas and rural areas of concerned districts during anti-measles campaign.

The meeting was told that special anti-measles campaign would be launched from June 24 in Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Okara, Kasur, Mianwali, Bhakkar, Layyah, Muzaffargarh, DG Khan, Rajanpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Sialkot, Narowal, Toba Tek Singh, Chiniot, Sargodha and Jhang districts during which children from the age of six months to ten years would be inoculated.

Secretary Health Hassan Iqbal directed that banners for creating public awareness regarding measles campaign should be displayed prominently with the cooperation of DCOs and Commissioners of all concerned departments and outside hospitals for the treatment of patients. He directed that special attention should be paid to the treatment of patients suffering from measles in all hospitals and the examination of measles affected children under treatment in isolation wards by a senior doctor should be ensured.