Measles claims lives of three more children in Lahore

There is no let up in deaths of children on account of measles, as three more children became victim of the disease raising the death toll to 43 in the province of Punjab as per official figures. On Saturday, Fatima (3) died at Children Hospital of Lahore while Bismillah (3) and Arsalan (3) breathed their last at Lahore's Mayo Hospital.
There are over 100 measles patients under treatment in different government hospitals. The health department is observing 'Stop Measles Week' from April 24 as part of an extensive awareness campaign against the disease that has played havoc hitting over 8,700 since its outbreak in the province.
The international organisation-Gavi has assured Punjab government of full support in controlling the spread of the disease. The organisation will not only provide funds but will also technically assist the team of doctors to curb the epidemic. Professor Anjum Habib Vohra, Principal Post Graduate Medical Institute and Lahore General Hospital, while addressing a seminar held at Children Ward, LGH under Health Education Program on Saturday, said that preventive measures against measles are required to be disseminated among massed at a large scale in order to gear up awareness drive against the disease.
He said that Punjab government has provided free of cost vaccination injections but primary responsibility lies on the shoulders of parents to not only ensure vaccination of their miners but also not to approach to any quake or non-qualified doctor in case their child falls victim to any disease specially measles. The seminar was also addressed by Professor Agha Shahbir Ali, Professor Rashid Mahmood, Dr Arif Zaheer and Dr Fiaz Ali.
The speakers said that the moment first case of measles was registered at LGH, the hospital administration got alert and a special isolation ward was set up for this kind of patients immediately under supervision of senior doctors. They further said that more that 300 children have been recovered from measles at LGH up to now. The speakers also apprised the participants of the factors, symptoms, complications and treatment process against measles. They stressed the parents to immediately contact to vaccination centre if their kids have acceded to 6 month of age. They said that under Health Education Program, sensitization and awareness campaigns against various diseases are in full swing.