Measles cases dept’s failure: health minister

LAHORE : Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Kh Imran Nazir has said unvaccinated measles cases is due to the failure of department, adding around 286 cases of measles were reported in Punjab during one week and 18 deaths and 3,143 cases of measles were reported in the current year.

The minister said during 2011 to 2017, around 87 per cent of children were vaccinated against 12 diseases due to ‘Shehbaz Speed’. In 2016, 2017, and 2018, no case of polio was reported.

Kh Imran Nazir along with Kh Salman Rafique, Minister Specialised Healthcare, was addressing a press conference convened on the measles outbreak in Punjab. He said thanks to the ‘reverse speed’ came in 2019 which resulted in emergence of 12 polio cases and 14 cases in 2020. The health minister said that by 2022, only 68 percent of children in Punjab were immunised while due to the dynamic caretaker government in 2023 and the govt of Maryam Nawaz in 2024, the target of immunisation campaign reached above 90pc.

Shehbaz Sharif's govt during 16 months period has driven the national economy out economic mess, he said and added that those violate discipline in health department and play with the health of citizens will not be spared.

Khawaja Imran apprised the media of 2011-2024 EPI drives in detail. He said on the instructions of the chief minister, they visited Kabirwala, Khanewal, Mianchannu, and Sahiwal, Okara and Pattoki hospitals to monitor the measles situation.