Dr. Yasmin Raashid, health advisor to PTI Chairman said due to sheer negligence of Punjab health department so far 18 innocent kids have lost their life to diphtheria at the Children???s Hospital, Lahore because of the unavailability of anti diphtheria serum (ADS). A committee constituted by Khadam I Alla has identified glaring flaws in immunization coverage and the delay in importing the medicine as ADS is the only cure for the deadly infection of upper respiratory tract she added. She said if diphtheria is left untreated, diphtheria could cause severe damage to kidneys, nervous system, and heart. The death toll of the ailment has reached 18 during the last two months, a period during which the hospitals were not provided ADS she added. She said as per World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, a single case of diphtheria is suggestive of an outbreak but the Punjab government has not bothered to arrange the life saving drug ADS. Even if an infected person does not show any signs or symptoms of diphtheria, they are still able to transmit the bacterial infection for up to six weeks after the initial infection she added. She said diphtheria had almost been eliminated world over, but unfortunately Pakistan was one of the few countries still reporting deaths by the disease. As the provision of health facilities is not on the priority list of Sharif Brothers she added. She said even after 18 deaths Punjab government response is lukewarm. She warned if the immediate immunization campaign does not start then diphtheria epidemic is most likely to erupt.
PTI Information Secretary Andleeb Abbas this not the first incidence in Punjab where the innocent children become victims of Khadam I Alla's bad governance. In 2013 measles epidemic claimed lives of more than 187 children in Punjab due to no availability of the vaccine she added. She said Children???s Hospital is the only hospital in Lahore, which caters thousands of patients daily. No availability of life saving drug in the hospital from the last two months is a question mark on the performance of Khadam I Alla she added. She said in Children???s Hospital people have to wait for 6 to 7 months for small operations and two years for intense operations. The sorry sate of affairs in health can be judged from this that there is one doctor only to look after 1700 patients in Punjab she added. She said for Khadam I Alla's 165 billion metro train is more important than the health facilities. Punjab government failed to import the ADS as all the funds of health and education are diverted for the construction of world most expensive metro train she added. She said Khadam I Alla is the health minster of the province and he is rarely found in Lahore as he spends most of his time in Islamabad and foreign trips. From the last seven years he is running the health ministry with an incompetent advisor she added. She said being the health minister of the province Shabaz Sharif is responsible for the deaths of innocent children.