Confusing circumstances: Two siblings die of measles

The condition of the children worsened after the vaccine, insisted the father.

CHARSADDA:

Two siblings died on Tuesday after contracting measles in Parejkhel, Charsadda.

According to Bilal, the father, both six-year-old Hammad and three-year-old Ayesha had been immunised during a vaccination drive a month ago. The condition of the children worsened after the vaccine, insisted Bilal.

However, it is not clear whether the children were unwell before they received the vaccine or whether it was the vaccination which caused their condition to deteriorate.

According to doctors, the adverse side-effects and deaths could have been the result of improper administration of the injectable vaccine.

The bereaved shared he took his children to a hospital after their condition worsened. However, they did not survive, even after several weeks of continuous treatment. “Both Hammad and Ayesha died within hours of each other.”

Dr Farhad Ali, in charge of the measles drive in Charsadda district, said Hammad was administered the measles vaccine a month ago and he had already been unwell, with high fever and cholera. Hammad then contracted measles and died, added Dr Ali. “Ayesha had not received the measles vaccine as she was not at home at the time of the measles drive in their area.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2014.