Measles outbreak: Health dept to dispatch teams to upper Sindh as four more children die

Officials suspect children are suffering from the virus in Kandhkot.

SUKKUR: As four more children fell victim to a measles outbreak in Kandhkot on Sunday, the provincial health secretary has decided to send health teams to the area to help the district authorities.

Four-year-old Mir Hassan Marhata and three-year-old Abdul Rehman Marhata from Lal Bugti village, two-year-old Zubaida from Suhbat Golo village, and one-year-old Rukhsana from Lali Jakhrani village died due to the virus on Sunday. Officials suspect that dozens of children are suffering from the disease in Kandhkot. However, the disease appears to have spread into Sukkur as well.

Over 30 children have died of the disease in upper Sindh during the last three weeks. The villages of Salehpat, including Sobo Mahar, Masoo Dhondho, Tarai and Gagro, have been reported to be the worst affected.



Kashmore EDO health Dr Rano Dara said that health teams continue to vaccinate children in his district. He added 7,253 children have already been vaccinated against measles, and that awareness campaigns have been launched to encourage parents to get proper medical attention for their children.

The health secretary, Aftab Ahmed Khatri, decided to send medical teams to the district to take part in the vaccination campaign and to treat ailing children, added Dara.

As flood survivors in upper Sindh return to their homes after the water has receded, many of them are now facing a  shortage of food, clean drinking water and medicines. Many of them have been deprived of their homes and are being forced to live in temporary shelters.

It also does not help that many families in Khairpur district have refused to vaccinate their children against diseases like measles. These families, many of whom are Muslim, believe in Hindu mythology that high grade fever and red spots are signs that goddess Mata Rani has taken over the body of the child. Thari Mir Wah Taluka Hospital superintendent Dr Qurban Sahito had earlier said that they spend five to seven days chanting songs to appease the goddess, after which the child health is restored. The villagers also reportedly sing hymns to appease Mata Rani.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2012.