Deadly outbreak: Measles claims 10 more lives in rural Sindh

Health department remains oblivious to the development.

SUKKUR/ HYDERABAD:

As the measles outbreak slithers on, the epidemic took lives of 10 more children in rural Sindh on Sunday, taking the death toll to at least 50 since the beginning of January.

Four children passed away in Badin and Thatta districts. Four-year-old Ahsan Ali Mallah from Pir Sikandar Shah village in Badin’s Tando Bhago taluka died after suffering from the disease for over a week.

Ahsan’s father, Allah Jurhio Mallah, told The Express Tribune that he also lost his two-year-old daughter, Fatima Mallah, a week ago due to the illness. “A local doctor was treating my children. I brought my children late for treatment,” Mallah said adding that his children had not been inoculated before.

Two-year-old Shagni Kolhi died in Tando Bhago’s Ward No 2 area and Lutf Ali, 2, expired in Badin’s Nindo town. Sadeer Lashari, 4, died in Adam Lashari village of Thatta.

Six children died of measles in different parts of upper Sindh

Three-year-old Hamsha Bheel and Muskan Bheel, 4, died in Hafiz Suleman Dahar village near taluka Daharki of Ghotki.



Four-year-old Sudheer Sundarni died in Jurio Sundrani village near taluka Qadirpur in Ghotki, while Abdul Fatah Lashari, 3, died in Akbar Khan Lashari village near taluka Thull in Jacobabad district.

In Kashmore district, two-year-old Nisar Samejo died in Mohammad Ali Samejo village near taluka Ghouspur and Ghanwar Khatoon, 5, died in village Nasrullah Nandvani near taluka Tanrwani.

Hold-up in Dadu

In Dadu, a district-wide measles immunisation campaign was supposed to start, after Deputy Commissioner Nasir Abbass Soomro issued directives to the health department. However, despite the passage of four days, the campaign has not yet begun.

Soomro had asked the health team to vaccinate children in the district’s schools besides initiating a door-to-door campaign.

Health department’s ignorance

While the death toll climbs in parts of southern Sindh, the health department appears to be oblivious to the development.

Dr Aqeel Qureshi, the focal person for measles, refused to officially confirm any deaths in Hyderabad division.

He said only a few dozen children had been brought to public sector hospitals and they had all been cured. “Health teams are carrying out vaccination drive in villages in rural Sindh where measles cases have been reported,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 7^th, 2013.