Daily Times

Karachi: Provincial Minister for Health and Population Welfare Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho has said that time has come to launch a massive vaccination campaign against typhoid across the province, especially in slum areas where an outbreak has been reported.

She said this while presiding over a meeting regarding typhoid control here at her office. Additional Chief Secretary Health Dr. Muhammad Usman Chachar, the Health DG, the Health Director, and representatives of USAID, AKUH and other stakeholders also attended the meeting.

The meeting was informed that in Pakistan 413 is the average number of typhoid cases reported per 100,000 people every year, while in Karachi, as many 573 cases are reported on an average per 100,000 people. The meeting was further told that to counter the situation in Hyderabad, 40,000 children under the age of five years had been vaccinated. The provincial minister, Dr. Azra Pechuho, directed that a strong surveillance system should be established to meet the challenging situation and to make special arrangements in diagnostic labs to detect the disease at an early stage. She added, “It is our prime duty to save our children from infectious diseases and to build a healthy nation.” It was decided in the meeting that a massive vaccination drive against Typhoid will be launched soon and in this regard a comprehensive plan will be chalked out. It was also decided that all stakeholders will be taken on board to make the drive a success.

413
is the average number of typhoid cases reported per 100,000 people in Pakistan every year. In Karachi, the average number of cases reported a year is 573 per 100,000 people

Separately, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail has said that the government is committed to fight chronic diseases including polio and, in this regard, full assistance will be provided to healthcare institutions working to overcome these diseases.

Talking to a six-member delegation of Anti-Polio Plus Committee led by Aziz Memon at the Governor’s House Karachi, Ismail said that the expected result can be gotten by running a full and effective campaign across the province.

Meanwhile, Provincial Mohtasib Asad Ashraf Malik also called on the Governor on Wednesday. During the meeting the Governor said that provision of all out facilities and addresses the issues and complaint of people is top priority of central government.

Published in Daily Times, September 20^th 2018.