Another kid loses to measles - The Nation

LAHORE – The menace of measles continued to haunt the provincial capital with increasing intensity as one more patient died at a City hospital on Tuesday, taking the death toll till today to three. As many as 40 more patients were admitted to different hospitals, taking the overall tally to 215.  Husnain Qaiser, five months, breathed his last at Mayo Hospital.
Out of 40 new patients, 22 were admitted to Children’s Hospital, five each to Services Hospital and private healthcare centres in the city, four to Jinnah Hospital and two each to Mayo Hospital and Lahore General Hospital.
On Monday, 15 patients were admitted to different hospitals in the City. Out of 15 patients, six were admitted to Children’s Hospital, five to Mayo Hospital and two each to Jinnah Hospital and private healthcare centres in the city.
After Sindh and Balochistan, the outbreak of measles in Punjab has caused worries among the people, political leadership and health professionals. Reportedly, more than 140 patients have so far been admitted to the provincial hospitals.
On January 20, Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif took notice and directed Special Assistant on Health Kh Salman Rafique to immediately submit a report to him.
The chief minister also directed that all possible steps should be taken to overcome the problem. In compliance with the CM directive, Rafique chaired a meeting of Health EDOs at Health DG Office to review the situation and adopt anti-measles measures across the province.
A spokesman for the Punjab Health Department said satisfactory arrangements had been made to cope with the situation. He said that anti-measles vaccination drives have been carried out in the affected areas of the province. He said the Punjab government had also vaccinated the children through special campaigns in the districts and union councils adjacent to Sindh and Balochistan.
YDA strike: The Young Doctors Association Punjab continued their strike at OPDs of public sector hospitals across the province including the City on 14th day.  The protesting doctors checked patients at camps instead of performing duties at OPDs.  Though strength of protesting doctors at camps kept on decreasing with every passing day due to firm stance of the government and effective steps for normal functioning of OPDs, the suffering of humanity remained on the receiving end.