Ghor hospital inundated with measles cases last month

FEROZKOH (Pajhwok): Nearly 130 children with measles were hospitalized during the past one month in western Ghor province amid complaints about the shortage of beds, officials said on Saturday.

Physicians say measles is viral disease and its main symptoms include a high fever, sore and red watery eyes, coughing, sneezing and a rash that usually appears after initial symptoms.

Insufficient beds in hospital

Maryam, whose child was admitted to the hospital in Ferozkoh, said she took her child multiple times to local health centres, but his condition did not improve.

While complaining about lack of beds in the hospital, she said: “I first brought my child here a week ago, but the hospital was full of patients and I was given some medicines for my child, but they did not work.”

So she brought her child again to this hospital, she said: “This is my second time, the doctors admitted my child, thanks God, his condition has improved a little.”

Suraya, who brought her child for measles treatment from Charsada district, said: “I took my child several times to local doctors for treatment, but their medication was ineffective.”

She also complained about fewer beds for patients and said three children shared on bed.

“My child has been hospitalized since five days and his health has improved.”

Doctors: Measles cases on rise in Ghor

Pediatrics’ illness physician Dr. Mohammad Mosa Ulfat told Pajhwok Afghan News: “Measles has broken out this year, but luckily the number of deaths from this illness is very limited. Our hospital has so far received 128 measles patients during the past one month.”

He called lack of awareness among the people a reason behind the breakout: “The main reason for the prevalence of this disease is lack of awareness among families and not administering vaccine, in fact people do not believe in the vaccine, some people think it sickens their children, so most people do not vaccinate their children and they get measles.”

Deputy Public Health Director Dr. Abdul Ahad Noori accepted the shortage of beds in the hospital.

Noori said: “Unfortunately the shortage of beds is an old issue, we tried to solve this problem in coordination with the Ministry of Public Health to prevent the spread of diseases such as measles.”

However, he said, the Public Health Department had prepared a suitable place for treatment of measles patients in the provincial hospital and specialists attended these patients.

aw/ma

Views: 64