PESHAWAR: The director Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Dr Muhammad Arif Khan has dispelled claims that the province was facing a shortage of diphtheria vaccines and children were being deprived of the vaccines in the ongoing special immunization campaigns. “Sufficient quantity of diphtheria vaccines is available in the primary health centers of the province” he stated. However, Dr Arif pointed out that anti-diphtheria serum, used in the treatment of diphtheria, supply was currently delayed to the province. He said that there was an anti-diphtheria serum shortage across the globe and delays were being observed in a number of countries. Director EPI-KP said that the health department was making efforts to ensure supply of this specific medicine in the province for infected children, adding that international organizations were providing the anti-diphtheria serum on an emergency basis. Dr Arif said that the federal government help has been sought for availability of the serum, adding that the issue would be addressed very soon. DLP Report
