LAHORE, April 22: Health Secretary Arif Nadeem has said a special anti-measles drive will be launched in the provincial metropolis from April 29 to May 5.
Presiding over a meeting to review arrangements for the drive on Monday, he said more than three million children, from six months to 10 years of age, would be administered vaccine injections during the drive.
He directed medical superintendents and principals of government hospitals and nursing schools to provide lists of vaccinators, according to the allotted numbers to the Health Department by the end of the day.
Those who attended the meeting included Additional Secretary Health (Tech) Dr Anwar Janjua, Additional Secretary Health Establishment Asfand Yaar Khan, Health Director General Dr Tanveen Ahmed, Lahore EDO Health Dr Zulfiqar Ali, medical superintendents of Lahore General Hospital, Jinnah, Services, Mayo, Sir Ganga Ram, Lady Wallingdon, Lady Aitchison, Govt Mian Nawaz Sharif, Govt Sayad Mitha, Govt Kot Khwaja Saeed, Mian Munshi, Children’s hospitals and principals of all nursing schools. Deans of the Institute of Public Health and the Institute of Child Health were also present in the meeting.
The health secretary directed that the vaccination staff should discharge their duties, during the anti-measles drive, with full dedication. He said 100 per cent attendance of vaccinating staff must be ensured.
Arif Nadeem said a special incentive would also be provided to the duty staff.
Dr Anwar Janjua informed the meeting that almost 900 workers would be deputed throughout the city at the union council level for this purpose. He said the relevant staff would be provided by government hospitals and nursing schools.
He said special training would also be imparted to the vaccinators on April 27.
Dr Janjua said maximum cases of measles had occurred in Lahore.