Measles outbreak in DG Khan

Six-year-old dies and hundreds affected in district, as medical assistance unavailable since 2010 floods.

DERA GHAZI KHAN: In Kot Hebat Busti Doom Wala a measles outbreak has affected hundreds of people.

A total of 11 children of local labourer Allah Yar and Hajra Bibi are currently suffering from the disease. One of the children died from measles on Tuesday and two are in critical condition. Locals in the area have complained about the unavailability of medical aid. “There are no health teams that visit the area and the closest THQ is miles away,” said Doom Wala resident Muhammad Riaz. A team of doctors confirmed that there was a measles outbreak in the village. “Many of the villagers think this is cholera or chicken pox but it is clearly a case of measles,” Dr Fazal said.  The team said that all the patients would be provided with basic health facilities. Allah Yar said “These are just words. My son had to die for the doctors to even show up here and they will leave until someone else dies.” The villagers said that not a single medical team had visited the area since the floods and there were no medicines at the local THQ.

Allah Yar said that his entire family had been affected by the measles outbreak including Jabir, Abu Bakr, Jamil, Shan, Reshman, Saima, Sheraz, Muhammad Iqbal and Kulsoom. “We were forced to visit quacks as no vaccine was available at the BHU and my six-year-old son, Muhammad Iqbal, died yesterday,” he said.  Muhammad Iqbal’s mother Hajra Bibi said that her other children were suffering from ‘cholera’ and the authorities had done nothing to help them. “It isn’t cholera but they want to say it is because they think that will make the medical authorities take the case more seriously,” Dr Fazal said. A BHU doctor said that the reason they were out of measles vaccines was because the hospital transformer had been stolen six months ago and they couldn’t store any vaccines. When district health officer (DHO) Dr Fazal Karim Khan was informed of the situation he sent a team led by deputy DHO Dr Sajad Sarwar Naqvi. The team will vaccinate all villagers in five union councils adjacent to Kot Hebat. Allah Yar has requested that the Punjab chief minister assist in the treatment of his children.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 13^th, 2011.