Two more children die from measles bringing death toll to 16 in Balochistan

Uthal Hospital medical superintendent says 10 more children are affected by the disease

QUETTA: Two children died after suffering from measles in Uthal area of Lasbela, medical superintendent Uthal Hospital, Dr Hassanullah, told The Express Tribune.

Ten other children are also affected by the disease in the area.

The preventable disease has so far killed 16 children and affected more than 400 children in Balochistan since April 2014.

At least 12 children were brought to the hospital after suffering from measles.

“Two children died and 10 are admitted in the hospital. The suffering children are in a separate ward of Uthal Hospital and out of danger,” Hassanullah said.

The affected children are residents of a remote village Kangra in Uthal which is home for around 25 families.

“The outbreak is in the village only and other villages are safe but vulnerable,” sources said.

The people who live there are very poor and have mud houses where vaccination against the preventable disease could not be launched due to a lack of funding.

The parents of the suffering children did not know about the disease until it badly affected the children.

According to Health Department, measles killed 43 people and affected more than 700 children in 2013. There have been no campaigns of measles in Balochistan for the past two years as government is yet to allocate its due share of money in order to launch the anti-measles campaign in the province.

Balochistan Health Minister Rehman Saleh Baloch claims that the health department has finalised its plan regarding anti-measles campaign which would be started during the month of November on an emergency basis.

“It is in the knowledge of the government and we will soon launch the campaign,” he told The Express Tribune.