TOBA TEK SINGH: Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Khawaja Imran Nazir made on Friday District Health Authority chief Dr Muhammad Nawaz Ranjha an officer on special duty over the deaths of three minor girls due to contaminated vaccine given to them on Thursday.

An official said that the minister also suspended from service district officer (health) Dr Muhammad Khalid Mirza, deputy district officer health Dr Masood Virk and vaccination programme in charge Muhammad Arshad.The minister also visited Rajana’s Chak 262-GB, Marthanwala, and delivered cheques for Rs1 million each to the parents of the three minor girls who had died from contaminated vaccine for measles at a rural health centre. He also gave away cheques for Rs200,000 each to the parents of two other children who were still under treatment in hospitals. He visited the Toba Tek Singh District Headquarters hospital and inquired after the health of Maryam, being treated for toxic vaccination.

He told reporters the vaccinator of Union Council No 40 was responsible for the death of three minors as he had used the vaccine prepared one day ago while such vaccine could only be used in six hours after its preparation.

A press release issued by the Public Relations Department said that during a meeting in the DC office, the minister said that health department’s local officers and supervisory staff were involved in the unfortunate incident, which took the precious lives of three minor children. He said that strict action would be taken against the negligent officials. Rajana police arrested vaccinator Muhammad Sharif and a quack of the village, Mukhtar Ahmad, who treated the three children after the vaccination and caused deterioration of their ailment.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2017