Measles claims lives of 32 children in Balkh this year

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): More than 7,000 children in northern Balkh province have been affected by measles out of which 32 children had died, officials of the Abu Ali Sina Balkh Zonal Hospital said on Saturday.

Dr. Abdul Raouf Farogh, head of pediatrics ward in Abu Ali Sina Balkhi Hospital, told Pajhwok Afghan News nearly 7,300 children affected by measles were hospitalized during the past nine months of the current year.

Without going to the figures of measles cases in 2023, Farogh said the cases of this virus had surged this year and 32 of the hospitalized children had died to this disease.

A number of other physicians called severe fever, cough, rash all over the body, runny nose and some eye related problems in children as the main symptoms of measles.

Podiatrist Dr. Abdul Gahffar described measles as a contagious illness and added it mostly contracts children under the age of five.

However Abdul Gahffar did not call measles as a deadly illness but added it could be lethal in the case of complication or if many measles-infected children are collected in one location.

To get cover children from measles, Doctor Nazifa advises all of the families to keep their children clean, feed them healthy food properly and wear them warm clothes in winter.

A number of measles patients’ caregivers expressed their pleasure about the available services and facilities for such patients.

Patient caregiver Abdullah say the patient have better access to doctors and health services in the hospitals in compared to the past.

Bismillah, another caretaker said, there must be wide campaign of awareness about the prevention and coping with measles and the issue of medics shortages must also be addressed.

At the same time, local health official assure all of the patients’ caregivers about the provision of all possible facilities.

Kamal Khan Zadran, public health directorate spokesman told Pajhwok that the department is ready to cope will all seasonal illnesses.

Earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) also said that 160 children died in 2023 due to their contraction to measles illness in Afghanistan.

Aw/nh