Measles outbreak in Khanewal: CM approves action against four health officials under Peeda Act

LAHORE: Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has approved action under Peeda Act against four senior health officers of BPS-18 and BPS-19 including the then chief executive officer (CEO) of the Khanewal district health authority (DHA) in the wake of the death of six children due to measles attack.

The action was proposed in the light of the findings of an initial inquiry wherein they were held guilty of criminal negligence and incompetence, which led to the death of children during the outbreak at Village 3-Kassi of Kabirwala tehsil, Khanewal, in May.

All these children under five years of age died of measles from May 5 to 22. There were reports that the outbreak had started weeks before the death of the children but no one from these officers bothered to take precautionary measures to protect the lives of the children.

The officers found guilty of charges were the then DHA CEO Dr Abdul Majeed, District Health Officer (preventive services) Dr Fazalur Rehman Bilal, Kabirwala DHO Dr Alam Sher, consultant pediatrician Dr Adeel Jabbar and vaccinator Muhammad Waqas. Following the initial investigations, these officers were placed under suspension.

According to the notification issued by the health department the other day, the CM sought an inquiry committee to complete the probes against them under the Peeda Act within 60 days.

According to the notification, Dr Abdul Majeed did not have any administrative control of the service delivery of the health authority and he failed to take appropriate actions to curtail measles.

“It was a total management failure on his part being the top leadership in the district to ensure implementation of the proper SOPs, coordination, and functionalities between different tiers of primary & secondary healthcare,” reads the notification.

About Dr Fazal, it said he failed to develop a system of surveillance for early detection/notification, confirmation, investigation and case response for the vaccine preventable disease (VPDs).

Dr Alam Sher was declared negligent in developing surveillance mechanisms for early detection/notification, confirmation, investigation and case response for the VPDs. He also failed to rectify poor vaccination status in the UCs and at fixed sites. Moreover, no cluster checking, no evidence of supportive supervisory visits and record checking was found.

About Dr Adeel Jabbar, the health department inquiry declared that he failed to notify the measles cases although about 48 cases were on record in the month before the incident at Kabirwala THQ.

It revealed that Dr Jabbar was found responsible for an irrational duty roster (for his convenience) as he made no evening rounds, followed by no referral SOPs/protocols.

“He failed to attend to the patient Maria Bibi who reported twice, once in OPD and then in the emergency room,” the notification said.

Vaccinator Waqas was held guilty of poor immunisation coverage in the union council concerned.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2024