



The spread of measles continues in Rawalpindi as 30 more suspected cases have been reported out of which 20 have been confirmed so far. Interestingly, the authorities launched an anti-polio drive while suspending routine immunisation drives against nine preventable diseases.





Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official of the Punjab Health Department told The Express Tribune that the cases were reported in scattered areas of the city such as Dhoke Hassu, Pirwadhai, Fauji Colony, Taxila, Murree and Kallar Syedan.“So far it is not an outbreak, but those affected pose a serious threat to children with weak immune systems in their respective localities,” said the official.The official said that a two-week long campaign in the city under the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) Guide was supposed to be carried out in June.The campaign was suspended after a week as polio supplementary immunisation activities (SIAs) started, the official said.“It is because in the last week of May, a sewage sample collected from Rawalpindi tested positive for the polio virus, due to which the routine immunisation campaign was abruptly stopped and an anti-polio drive was started,” said the official.The official said that there were no chances of continuation of routine immunisation in the city during July as two other polio SIAs were scheduled to be carried out on the 7th and the 14th.“There is already a threat of an outbreak of measles, polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases due to the movement of internally displaced persons from North Waziristan Agency. Such delays in vaccinating children against other vaccine preventable diseases are a big risk,” said the official.The official said the 13-day anti-measles drive scheduled for July had now been postponed till August or September.“There is a need to take immediate steps to improve the immunity of every single child in the city to prevent the outbreak of measles or any other vaccine-preventable disease.The government should also keep anti-measles drives rather than polio on top of its priority list,” said the official.Health Department District Officer Dr Khalid Randhawa was unavailable for comment.Published in The Express Tribune, July 2, 2014.