Disease control: ‘Pre-election hype caused recent measles outbreak’

Around 131 cases reported between April 14 and 20, another 412 between April 21 and 27.


Sehrish Wasif May 16, 2013
Around 131 cases reported between April 14 and 20, another 412 between April 21 and 27. PHOTO: REUTERS / FILE

ISLAMABAD:


Health officials said pre-election campaigning was the reason behind a sharp increase in the number of measles cases reported nationwide in recent weeks.


According to the Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin - Disease early warning system and response (DEWS) in Pakistan, jointly published by the National Institute of Health and World Health Organisation (WHO), 131 measles cases were reported between April 14 and 20, while 412 were reported between April 21 and 27.

A senior official at the Expanded Programme on Immunisation told The Express Tribune it was unfortunate that the staggering increase in the number of measles cases had occurred at a time when the world was observing Immunisation Week under the theme ‘Stop Measles Now.’

He was of the view that disease prevention campaigns had slowed down considerably due to pre-election activities.

“I hope the incoming government takes this matter seriously and addresses issues which are hindering the immunisation of all children from nine months to 10 years of age,” said the official.

DEWS Senior Surveillance Officer Dr Musa Rahim played down the recent outbreaks, saying there had been an overall decline in the number of cases in the country this year.

He said pre-election campaigning had made it difficult to tackle fresh outbreaks of the disease, adding that children did not have access to hospitals, due to which some cases remained unreported.

Around 10,020 measles cases have been reported across the country in 2013. Of this, 4,070 cases were reported in Punjab, 3,106 in Sindh, 1,116 in Balochistan, 1,178 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and 97 in the Islamabad Capital Territory. Sindh reported the highest number of deaths from the disease with 141 out of a total 246 across the country, according to the Weekly Epidemiology Bulletin.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16th, 2013.

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