12 children die from measles in Nangarhar in 15 months

KABUL (Pajhwok): Public Health Department officials in eastern Nangarhar province say about 2,519 children with measles were hospitalized in last 15 months in the province and 12 of them died.

Public Health Department spokesman Naqibullah Rahimi told Pajhwok Afghan News twelve children had died from measles in the past 15 months in the province.

He said: “About 2,013 children became infected with measles in 2023 and out of which eight children had died.”

Measles cases have been on the rise this year compared to last year, when 1405 children were infected and out of them four died during the first four months of the current year, he explained.

He added full preparations had been made for the prevention and treatment of measles. He said measles patients were treated in district health centers as well as provincial hospital and a special ward has been set up at the  infection diseases hospital in the provincial capital.

He said a measles vaccination drive has been kicked off for children below five years of age in the province.

On the other hand, Infection diseases hospital officials said they provided all possible facilities for the treatment of measles patients.

Dr. Syed Mohammad Mohammadi, an infectious diseases specialist in this hospital, said two to five children with measles were admitted to the hospital on a daily basis.

“Measles is not deadly disease, but when a patient contracts other disease besides measles his resistance becomes weak and it leads to death.”

Relative of patients in this hospital were happy with the services, but asked the Public Health Department to conduct measles vaccination drives in the province.

Atta-ul-Rahman, who had brought her grandson to this hospital for treatment, said doctors treated and served the patient well.

After birth, children are given seven types of vaccinations, including measles prevention, but most of those children who have not been given this vaccine become infected with measles.

kk/ma