Anti-measles campaign to start Monday after 40 child deaths

Lack of awareness and facilities raises risk of epidemic in Sindh.

KARACHI: An anti-measles campaign in Sindh is set to start on Monday after the death of over 40 children in the last twenty days due to mishandling of vaccines and lack of health care facilities in remote areas. The campaign’s target is to vaccinate three million children at risk of the disease.

“The campaign will cover seven districts,” said a statement issued by the provincial health ministry. “The target is to vaccinate nine-month and 10-year-old children in these areas.”

Pakistan faces a lack of primary health facilities in rural areas, which has led to higher risk of an epidemic. Prevention requires availability of the vaccine as well as persuading parents in rural areas to seek the vaccine for their children by means of the media and social associations, such as television, community workers and general practitioners working in these remote areas, said Dr Samrina Hasmi, provincial president of the Pakistan Medical Association.

Measles, a respiratory infection caused by a virus, is a major cause of death in children of low income countries and is particularly dangerous to children with vitamin A deficiency. The infection can spread via contact with droplets from the nose, mouth, or throat of an infected person. Sneezing and coughing can release contaminated droplets into the air. Routine immunisation is highly effective in preventing measles.



An outbreak in the province can be caused by the lack of basic health facilities in rural areas, negligence and lack of awareness among parents, and loss of vaccines-which must be stored in freezing temperatures-due to power breakdowns. People who are not immunised, or who have not received the full immunisation, are at a high risk for contracting the disease upon contact.

Call for minister’s resignation

All Sukkur Small Traders and Cottage Industries chairperson Haji Muhammad Haroon Memon has expressed his grief over the deaths of dozens of children suffering from measles in Salehput, Kandhkot, Kashmore and other areas. The Sindh health minister should resign after failing to prevent these deaths, he said at a meeting with traders at his office on Thursday.

The association’s general secretary, Badar Rafiq Qureshi, Tahir Khan, Abdul Mateen, Lala Abid Khokar and other traders were also present. Memon also said that the chief minister should take notice of these deaths and take action against the district health officers in Sukkur and other areas.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2012.