- Despite massive expenditure by government on immunisation campaigns, measles still remains at large due to inefficient ‘politically-favored’ officials working in the field
- Four major towns of city having zero percent immunization, states EPI evaluation report while EDO submits immunization cover to be 102%
- With the immunisation cover below 40%, epidemic outbreak was natural: Prof Yaqoob
Lack of performance of duties by ‘politically-backed’ vaccinators and other field staff has hampered the immunisation campaign against measles wasting millions of rupees and leading to the death of more than 100 children in the metropolitan alone, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Officials of the Expanded Program for Immunisation (EPI) submitted an evaluation report of the week-long campaign against measles held in May.
Officials privy to the evaluation have further revealed that random samples of 40 children in four major towns each (Ravi, Johar, Iqbal and Wahga) were ‘untouched’ having a zero percent immunisation. They have also proposed action against vaccinators, assistant superintendent vaccination (ASV), DSV, Deputy DHO and DHO, all working under the Health EDO.
“The vaccinator is the principal character responsible for making the immunisation successful. But here most of them are political appointees, with backing of influential politicians and do not care for their seniors. Recently some of them were transferred to Mianwali as punishment, but returned soon using their connections,” an official on the condition of anonymity said.
While the Lahore High Court (LHC) has taken notice of more than 100 deaths due to measles, the Health Department, on its part, has asked the district health authorities to give a rationale of its heavy spending on the campaign, which apparently did not bear any fruits.
The evaluation report compiled by the officers of the district health is nothing less than a shock at a time when the provincial government has declared a measles emergency, spending more than Rs 1 billion to cope with one of the worst epidemics since the dengue outbreak.
Children’s Hospital Head of Pediatrics Head Professor Qazi Yaqoob said that the scientific standard of an epidemic outbreak is possible only when the immunisation against that disease is below 40 percent among a particular population. “Since we have had consistently low immunisation over the past few years, outbreak of an epidemic was natural,” he added.
THE CONTRADICTIONS WITHIN:
Interestingly, however, the previous health EDO has submitted statements bearing 102 percent immunisation in the city.
“Most of the funds are spent on arranging expensive lunches and dinners for high-ups in the name of social mobilisation and awareness seminars, while on ground the epidemic still occurs raising an obvious question where the funds actually go,” a Health Department official said.
Sources further maintain that Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif after assuming office held a meeting of health high-ups and reprimanded DG Health for not asking for funds and taking any measures. The CM declared a measles emergency afterwards
Interestingly, routine immunisation has been in place since 1978 with cover against four diseases initially but currently nine, including TB, polio and measles.
The government spends billions of rupees on such campaigns to immunise children against deadly diseases. It includes not just the vaccine but large human resources including vaccinators, assistant and deputy superintendent vaccination, deputy DHO, DHO, lady health workers under the executive district officer (EDO) health and DG health and the secretary in the province.
However, despite such an elaborate hierarchy and workforce, the government machinery has failed to stall the outbreak of epidemic leading from one outbreak to another.
EDO Dr Zulfiqar however dispelled the impression and said his workforce was under his control. “I have been in-charge for only two months and cannot comment on 102 percent immunisation certified by the previous EDO. Besides, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has done a third-party evaluation of the measles campaign and rated it 95 percent,” he added.
However, the WHO spokesperson told Pakistan Today that WHO has not done any third-party evaluation “whatsoever” regarding measles for the government. To a question, she said such evaluation has been done for polio but not for measles.
Health Secretary Hassan Iqbal said inquiries for measles deaths are underway including the huge expenditures done on its campaign. “Action will definitely be taken against those found responsible and none will be spared,” he added.
