RAWALPINDI: Punjab Caretaker Minister for Primary and Secondary Health Care Dr Jamal Nasir said that a project was being launched to rationalise use of antibiotics in rural health centres of selected districts of Punjab in collaboration with an international organisation.

Initially, rational use of antibiotics will be ensured only in the children with acute respiratory tract infections and Diarrhoea at these places, the minister said.

A delegation from the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS) led by Erica Westwood called on Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Dr Jamal Nasir and discussed with him the measures to deal with Anti Microbial Resistance due to irrational use of antibiotics.

Anti-measles vaccination campaign from June 19

The delegation apprised the minister of the need for the project and details about the procedure for its implementation.

The minister said that frequent and irrational use of antibiotics destroyed their effects on the pathogens adding that indiscriminate use of these drugs had led to to many deaths.

Dr. Jamal Nasir said that according to the vision of caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, this was a good initiative of the Punjab government to protect the health of the citizens.

With the support of ICARS, the Punjab Health Department has started a project to ensure proper use of antibiotics.

He said that the use of antibiotic drugs for the treatment of patients needs to be considered. Antibiotics should not be used without laboratory tests of the patient, he added

The caretaker minister appreciated the new initiative and assured full cooperation from government of the Punjab.

Anti-measles campaign

The district health authority will start an anti-measles vaccination campaign from June 19 to June 24 in the district.

Punjab government has asked the health authorities to strengthen the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) and improve measles surveillance after the outbreak of disease in Rawalpindi in April.

As many as 256 children suffered from the measles in the district from January to April and eight of them died in three government-run hospitals in April alone.

Director Health Dr Anser Ishaq told Dawn that the satisfactory arrangements had been made to cope with the situation.

He said children of six months to 10 years would be vaccinated against measles.

Apart from this, he said hospitals, basic health units and dispensaries had been directed to ensure vaccination of children. He said that the special counters would be set up in this regard soon.

He said that the anti-measles vaccine is necessary to protect infected child from pneumonia, malnutrition and brain diseases. It usually spread in first four months of the year.

The first dose of the vaccine ideally be given to babies who are between nine to 13 months old. Children are given a second dose or the booster dose before they start school, usually between the ages of three and five years.

The second dose can be given three months after the first. Around 5 to 10% children do not develop complete immunity after the first dose. The second dose provides increased protection. After the booster dose less than 1pc of children still have the risk of getting measles.

Published in Dawn, June 17th, 2023