Probe ordered after reports of measles cases in Bara
 

PESHAWAR: Director Health Services (DHS), Fata, Dr Jawad Habib Khan, has called for an investigation and has assigned assessment team in response to media reports of measles cases in the Qayyumkhel village of Bar Qambarkhel in Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency and death of suspected measles victims in the Hayatabad Medical Complex.

According to an official statement, Assistant Director EPI Dr Ikhtiar Ali was assigned to coordinate and facilitate the investigation process whereas Agency Surgeon Dr Niaz Muhammad, Dr Wazir Akbar, FSMO Dr Zarin Khan, TCSP WHO Bara **or Shah, TCSP UNICEF, area heads, UCPWs and EPI technicians visited the affected areas and conducted routine investigations on two patients admitted to the HMC.

On the basis of findings of the investigation team, a measles outbreak has been declared in Bar Qambarkhel and case response was launched on August 7. The investigation team found index (origin) case, his twin sister and first cousin in serious condition, who were referred to a tertiary care hospital in Peshawar. In addition, eight more active measles cases were found during visits at the clinics of local practitioners.

Mass measles campaign was launched in 10 villages of Bar Qambarkhel with the support of 10 Fata health staff teams. So far 1,391 children between the ages of six months to 10 years have been vaccinated. Mosque an**uncements were made to inform parents in the area regarding the outbreak and the vaccination process carried out at the Basic Health Unit (BHU) Jan Baz.

According to health officials, the outbreak is under control and all preventive measures have been taken. Fata DHS Dr Jawad Habib Khan directed manager mobile health project Fata and Khyber Agency surgeon to depute mobile health camps in the affected areas to vaccinate children.

He maintained that mobile camps should be held in the same areas as per the EPI schedule in the upcoming months. Earlier, all the relevant stakeholders, including WHO, UNICEF and field staff, were informed and a surveillance site was established at BHU Jan Baz.





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