Measles outbreak kills four children
The infectious measles virus has hit Azad Gabol village in the Thana Bula Khan area of Jomshoro district, and claimed the lives of four children. Following the report, a team of district health office on Friday visited the village and immunized the children.
The DHO Jamshoro district Imamuddin Khoso told the local media that three-year-old Rukhsana, 10-year-old Abu Bakar, three-year-old Kubra and eight-month minor Ayaz died of measles.
He said, as soon as he received the report, he rushed the health teams to the village for immediate medical support. He disclosed that the children were not only found suffering from measles, but other skin diseases as well.
The local residents told the media that at least 30 children in the village are suffering from the identical health conditions. They complained that their mountainous villages lacked adequate health facilities and they cannot take their children for immediate medical treatment. A dispensary exists in the area but it is reportedly non-functional due to unavailability of staff.
The Expanded Program for Immunisation (EPI) Sindh’s Dr Naeem Rajput, district supervisor EPI Dr Imtiaz and other health officers including the DHO visited the affected villages and other surrounding villages. A health official, who requested anonymity, told that EPI’s Dr Rajput expressed dismay over the immunization campaign being performed in the villages of Thana Bula Khan which is located close to M9 Motorway.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 19th, 2023.