RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: There is no measles epidemic in the province of Punjab and the Primary and Secondary Healthcare is fully vigilant on the disease situation. Keeping in view seasonal risk, complete analysis was carried out by following WHO recommended protocols.

All necessary measures have been taken to ensure complete control over the disease and districts CEOs have been issued instructions, a spokesman of Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department said here Thursday that sufficient stocks of measles vaccine are available and there is no budgetary or funding constraint. The government is fully committed to provide all required resources and ensure complete control over all diseases.

Moreover, a meeting of provincial EPI steering committee was held Thursday, to discuss the measles and other vaccine preventable disease situation in the province. The committee has shown satisfaction on the EPI and measles surveillance and it was told that third party evaluated vaccination coverage has improved to 82% which is highest among all provinces. Incidence of new Measles cases is under control. The committee was chaired by Special Secretary P&SHC Dr. Faisal Zahoor and was attended by leading paediatric professors including Professor Dr. Tariq Iqbal Bhutta, Prof. Dr Sajjad Rafique, Prof. Dr Tipu Sultan and Professor Dr Haroon Hameed. Representatives of WHO, Unicef and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation also attended the meeting. Dr Munir Ahmad DHS EPI Punjab explained that as many as 174 measles cases have been reported from January- March 2017 in Punjab while according to National EPI, 1008 measles cases have been reported from Sindh, 279 in KPK and 94 from Balochistan. No death is reported in Punjab due to measles.

EPI Steering committee advised to cover high risk areas in the province by mop up operations. Vaccines are available in all the hospitals, RHCs, BHUs, and vaccination centers.