Ministers rush to Khanewal on CM’s orders after children died of measles

KHANEWAL, May 29 (APP): In a quick response to Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s orders, two provincial health ministers rushed to a Basic Health Unit (BHU) in Kot Haq Nawaz, district Khanewal on Wednesday to collect details regarding deaths of some children due to measles and review level of facilities to plug chances of further spread of the disease in the area.
Punjab Minister for Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Khawaja Salman Rafiq and provincial Health Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Khawaja Imran Pervaiz, accompanying Secretary Health Ali Jan, visited BHU Kot Haq Nawaz where they enquired into the matter pertaining to deaths of some children due to measles. They promised action against more officials if found negligent in course of inquiry.
The ministers ordered a special campaign against measles and chicken pox in affected areas and to increase the number of Clinics-on-Wheels there.
The ministers checked the status of availability of medicines and other facilities at the BHU.
Later, the ministers also visited THQ Hospital in Kabirwala where they met with the children undergoing treatment against measles at the special wards and their parents.
Khawaja Imran Nazir and Khawaja Salman Rafiq told media persons that Punjab government was taking serious steps to keep children safe against measles, chicken pox and ongoing heat wave. They appealed the parents to get their children vaccinated against measles at the earliest.
They said, they have reached Khanewal on the orders of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and promised that no one found negligent in the inquiry would be spared. The ailing children will be provided best treatment facilities to ensure their full recovery, they said.
The ministers also joined an official meeting held at DC Office Khanewal via video link and ordered that measles be tackled the way the functionaries were tackling Dengue trouble.
The Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners from Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan and Bahawalpur divisions besides health officials were present.
The ministers ordered officials to use resources available to ensure treatment of children and continue measles control strategy.
Secretary Health Punjab Ali Jan gave a detailed briefing to ministers on steps to contain measles in the province.
Meanwhile, the ministers also visited DHQ Hospital Khanewal and expressed satisfaction over medical facilities being extended to patients there.
They checked medicines’ stock and interviewed patients and attendants to get their feedback on their availability. They ordered completion of ongoing revamping work at the DHQ hospital and also sought extension of the hospital pharmacy. The two ministers later visited Nursing college where they checked the facilities being extended to students there.