DERA GHAZI KHAN, Sept 28: Acute shortage of vaccination for pregnant women and newborns at the District Headquarters Hospital, BHUs and RHCs has become a cause for concern.

The authorities have turned a deaf ear to the complaints by the visitors to the health facilities.

A survey conducted by Dawn revealed that anti-tetanus vaccines for pregnant women and BCG which prevents baby from tuberculosis have not been made available in the district for last three weeks. It is posing a threat to the lives of mothers and their newborns.

A doctor told this correspondent on the request of anonymity that the anti-tetanus vaccine was highly important for the pregnant women and so was BCG for the newborn. He said a newborn must be administered the vaccine within two to three weeks.

The health facilities are also not using disposable syringes for the last two years, allege the people who say they have time and again informed the authorities concerned about the situation but to no avail.— Correspondent