The number of Covid-19 cases have been on the rise in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) once again as 12 new cases have been reported in the last 24 hours, an official of the health department told The Express Tribune on Friday.

He said that the infection caused thousands of death since it appeared in the province as a total 6,376 people have been killed in the pandemic, adding that Peshawar remained on top of the casualty list with almost 50 per cent deaths. He noted, the total number of Covid cases recorded so far has reached 225,231.

“Nine people have recovered from Covid-19 in K-P in the 24 hours and with this the total number of recovered persons reached 218,781. The number of people who died due to corona virus in Peshawar is 3,153,” he maintained.

He said two fresh cases have been reported in Peshawar and with this the total number of cases has jumped up to 85,481 in the district.

He said a total of 109 Corona tests were conducted in K- Pduring the last 24 hours, however, the number of active cases in the province stands at 166.

After the pandemic swept across the country, the federal government launched a mass vaccination campaign with the help of foreign donors but rural Peshawar remained among those areas where severe resistance to vaccination was witnessed despite all out government efforts.

Background

In February 2022, then K-P Chief Secretary Dr Shehzad Khan Bangash expressed dissatisfaction over the slow Covid-19 vaccination in the province and directed the deputy commissioners to increase the pace to achieve the vaccination target set by National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) and the provincial government.

A high-level meeting regarding vaccination and spread of Omicron variant was held under the chairmanship of the chief secretary via video link.

Secretary health, secretary home, secretary transport, secretary elementary and secondary education, secretary higher education, all divisional commissioners, focal person NCOC, coordinator EOC, director general health and deputy commissioners of all districts attended the meeting.

The chief secretary said the ongoing door-to-door vaccination campaign should be made a success by using all available resources.

He added that there would be no compromise on the success of the vaccination campaign.

He further stated that the eradication of this pandemic will be possible only when entire population is vaccinated. On the occasion, health secretary said that steps are being taken to achieve the assigned targets of vaccination and in this regard the K-P Health Department is in close liaison with all the divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners.

Health secretary informed the meeting that in 19 districts 70 per cent target of first dose has been achieved however in 17 districts 70 per cent target of second dose of vaccine has been achieved which is less than the set target. Chief secretary expressed his dissatisfaction over the pace of vaccination.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2023.