Measles kills 12 children in Pakistan - haveeruonline

A measles outbreak has killed 12 children in one of Pakistan's lawless tribal districts and is spreading as fighting, power cuts and curfews cause a vaccine shortage, doctors said Monday.

North Waziristan, a restive and deeply poor area bordering Afghanistan, is Pakistan's most notorious Taliban and Al-Qaeda stronghold, hit frequently by US drone strikes targeting Islamist militants.

"For the past three weeks we are daily receiving five to 10 children suffering from measles," said doctor Mohammad Ali Shah, chief of the main hospital in Miranshah, the area's biggest town.

He would normally see only one or two deaths a year from the disease, he said.

But another doctor, Mohammad Sadiq, said 12 children and a man had died from measles in the last three weeks, and that there were up to 70 confirmed cases in hospital.

The UN children's agency UNICEF said there had been 143 measles alerts this year in Pakistan's seven-district, semi-autonomous tribal belt.

The measles virus is highly contagious and can be fatal, but can easily be prevented by proper immunisation.

However Shah said: "We do not have proper storage for measles vaccination because of long power outages and curfews and most of our stock expires due to these reasons."

Poverty and poor transport facilities mean villagers in the rugged, mountainous areas cannot come to hospitals for treatment, he added, while military operations and unrest mean vaccination teams cannot reach them.

"There is accumulation of significant number of unvaccinated children in different parts of this region which are revealing as outbreaks or alerts over time to time," said doctor Quamrul Hasan of the World Health Organization (WHO).

WHO and local health officials are to carry out a supplementary campaign in the tribal areas aimed at vaccinating more than a million children aged under 10 by the end of June, he said.

Polio vaccination campaigns in tribal areas have in the past suffered because of rumours -- sometimes spread by radio stations or from mosque loudspeakers -- they were a Western conspiracy to sterilise children to reduce the Muslim population.

But UNICEF said work had been done to tackle misconceptions and there was less suspicion of the measles vaccine, administered by injection, than of the orally-administered polio dose.

Nearly 140,000 people died of measles worldwide in 2010, according to the World Health Organisation -- 95 percent in low income countries with poor health infrastructure.

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Measles kills 12 children in Pakistan tribal area - DAWN.com

The lawless northwest areas of Pakistan are facing huge challenges of health, particularly of child health. – AP Photo

An outbreak of measles in part of Pakistan’s lawless tribal northwest has killed 12 children in three weeks and is spreading due to a shortage of medicines, according to doctors.

Doctor Mohammad Ali Shah, chief of the main hospital in Miranshah, the biggest town in North Waziristan, told AFP that military operations, power cuts and curfews meant there was a shortage of medicines.

The restive and impoverished district bordering Afghanistan is Pakistan’s most notorious Taliban and Al-Qaeda stronghold, and hit frequently by US drone strikes targeting Islamist militants.

“For the past three weeks we are daily receiving five to 10 children suffering from measles,” Shah said, adding that he would normally see only one or two deaths from the disease in a year.

“We do not have proper storage for measles vaccination because of long power outages and curfews and most of our stock expires due to these reasons.”

He urged the government to send mobile vaccination teams to the area and warned of a possible typhoid outbreak if action was not taken promptly.

“Inoculation teams have not visited the area for a long time and that is the reason for the spread of such diseases,” he said.

Measles is highly contagious and spread by a virus that is easily prevented by proper immunisation but can be fatal.

It caused nearly 140,000 deaths worldwide in 2010, according to the World Health Organisation – 95 per cent in low income countries with poor health infrastructure.

Another doctor, Mohammad Sadiq, said 12 children and a man had died from measles, and that there were up to 70 confirmed cases in hospital.

Local government officials were not available to comment.

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Measles kills 12 children in FATA - Pakistan Observer

Miramshah?An outbreak of measles in FATA has killed 12 children in three weeks and is spreading due to a shortage of medicines, doctors said on Monday. Doctor Mohammad Ali Shah, chief of the main hospital in Miramshah said that military operations, power cuts and curfews meant there was a shortage of medicines.

Shah said for the past three weeks we are daily receiving five to 10 children suffering from measles adding that he would normally see only one or two deaths from the disease in a year. ?We do not have proper storage for measles vaccination because of long power outages and curfews and most of our stock expires due to these reasons.?

He urged the government to send mobile vaccination teams to the area and warned of a possible typhoid outbreak if action was not taken promptly. ?Inoculation teams have not visited the area for a long time and that is the reason for the spread of such diseases,? he said.

Measles is highly contagious and spread by a virus that is easily prevented by proper immunisation but can be fatal. Another doctor, Mohammad Sadiq, said 12 children and a man had died from measles, and that there were up to 70 confirmed cases in hospital.?INP

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Measles kills 12 children in North Waziristan - The Express Tribune

An outbre­ak of measle­s in North Waziri­stan has killed 12 childr­en in three weeks. An outbreak of measles in North Waziristan has killed 12 children in three weeks.

MIRANSHAH: An outbreak of measles in North Waziristan has killed 12 children in three weeks and is spreading due to a shortage of medicines, doctors said Monday.

Doctor Mohammad Ali Shah, chief of the main hospital in Miranshah, the biggest town in North Waziristan, told AFP that military operations, power cuts and curfews meant there was a shortage of medicines.

“For the past three weeks we are daily receiving five to 10 children suffering from measles,” Shah said, adding that he would normally see only one or two deaths from the disease in a year.

“We do not have proper storage for measles vaccination because of long power outages and curfews and most of our stock expires due to these reasons.”

He urged the government to send mobile vaccination teams to the area and warned of a possible typhoid outbreak if action was not taken promptly.

“Inoculation teams have not visited the area for a long time and that is the reason for the spread of such diseases,” he said.

Measles is highly contagious and spread by a virus that is easily prevented by proper immunisation but can be fatal.

It caused nearly 140,000 deaths worldwide in 2010, according to the World Health Organisation – 95% in low income countries with poor health infrastructure.

Another doctor, Mohammad Sadiq, said 12 children and a man had died from measles, and that there were up to 70 confirmed cases in hospital.

Local government officials were not available to comment.

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Measles outbreak kills 12 children in Pakistani tribal area - Al-Arabiya

A measles outbreak has killed 12 children in one of Pakistan’s lawless tribal districts and is spreading as fighting, power cuts and curfews cause a vaccine shortage, doctors said Monday.

North Waziristan, a restive and deeply poor area bordering Afghanistan, is Pakistan’s most notorious Taliban and al-Qaeda stronghold, hit frequently by U.S. drone strikes targeting Islamist militants.

“For the past three weeks we are daily receiving five to 10 children suffering from measles,” said doctor Mohammad Ali Shah, chief of the main hospital in Miranshah, the area’s biggest town.

He would normally see only one or two deaths a year from the disease, he said.

But another doctor, Mohammad Sadiq, said 12 children and a man had died from measles in the last three weeks, and that there were up to 70 confirmed cases in hospital.

The U.N. children’s agency UNICEF said there had been 143 measles alerts this year in Pakistan’s seven-district, semi-autonomous tribal belt.

The measles virus is highly contagious and can be fatal, but can easily be prevented by proper immunization.

However Shah said: “We do not have proper storage for measles vaccination because of long power outages and curfews and most of our stock expires due to these reasons.”

Poverty and poor transport facilities mean villagers in the rugged, mountainous areas cannot come to hospitals for treatment, he added, while military operations and unrest mean vaccination teams cannot reach them.

“There is accumulation of significant number of unvaccinated children in different parts of this region which are revealing as outbreaks or alerts over time to time,” said Doctor Quamrul Hasan of the World Health Organization (WHO).

WHO and local health officials are to carry out a supplementary campaign in the tribal areas aimed at vaccinating more than a million children aged under 10 by the end of June, he said.

Polio vaccination campaigns in tribal areas have in the past suffered because of rumors -- sometimes spread by radio stations or from mosque loudspeakers -- they were a Western conspiracy to sterilize children to reduce the Muslim population.

But UNICEF said work had been done to tackle misconceptions and there was less suspicion of the measles vaccine, administered by injection, than of the orally-administered polio dose.

Nearly 140,000 people died of measles worldwide in 2010, according to the World Health Organization -- 95 percent in low income countries with poor health infrastructure.

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Collateral damage?: Measles outbreak kills 12 children in Waziristan - The Express Tribune

Doctor­s warn the virus is spread­ing quickl­y due to fighti­ng, power cuts and curfew­s. Doctors warn the virus is spreading quickly due to fighting, power cuts and curfews.

MIRAMSHAH: 

A measles outbreak has killed 12 children in the North Waziristan tribal region and is spreading as fighting, power cuts and curfews cause a vaccine shortage, doctors said on Monday.

North Waziristan, which is infamous for its alleged Taliban and al Qaeda sanctuaries, is frequently hit by US drone strikes.

“For the past three weeks we are daily receiving five to 10 children suffering from measles,” said Dr Muhammad Ali Shah, chief of the agency headquarters hospital in Miramshah. He would normally see only one or two deaths a year from the disease, he said.

But another doctor, Mohammad Sadiq, said 12 children and a man had died from measles in the last three weeks, and that there were up to 70 confirmed cases in hospital.

The UN children’s agency UNICEF said there had been 143 measles alerts this year in the seven tribal agencies of the country.

The measles virus is highly contagious and can be fatal, but can easily be prevented by proper immunisation.

However Shah said: “We do not have proper storage for measles vaccination because of long power outages and curfews and most of our stock expires due to these reasons.”

Poverty and poor transport facilities mean villagers in the rugged, mountainous areas cannot come to hospitals for treatment, he added, while military operations and unrest mean vaccination teams cannot reach them.

“There is accumulation of significant number of unvaccinated children in different parts of this region which are revealing as outbreaks or alerts from time to time,” said Dr Quamrul Hasan of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

WHO and local health officials are to carry out a supplementary campaign in the tribal areas aimed at vaccinating more than a million children aged under 10 by the end of June, he said.

Polio vaccination campaigns in tribal areas have in the past suffered because of rumours – sometimes spread by radio stations or from mosque loudspeakers – they were a Western conspiracy to sterilise children to reduce the Muslim population.

But UNICEF said work had been done to tackle misconceptions and there was less suspicion of the measles vaccine, administered by injection, than of the orally-administered polio dose.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15th, 2012.

View the original article here

Collateral damage?: Measles outbreak kills 12 children in Waziristan - The Express Tribune

Doctor­s warn the virus is spread­ing quickl­y due to fighti­ng, power cuts and curfew­s. Doctors warn the virus is spreading quickly due to fighting, power cuts and curfews.

MIRAMSHAH: 

A measles outbreak has killed 12 children in the North Waziristan tribal region and is spreading as fighting, power cuts and curfews cause a vaccine shortage, doctors said on Monday.

North Waziristan, which is infamous for its alleged Taliban and al Qaeda sanctuaries, is frequently hit by US drone strikes.

“For the past three weeks we are daily receiving five to 10 children suffering from measles,” said Dr Muhammad Ali Shah, chief of the agency headquarters hospital in Miramshah. He would normally see only one or two deaths a year from the disease, he said.

But another doctor, Mohammad Sadiq, said 12 children and a man had died from measles in the last three weeks, and that there were up to 70 confirmed cases in hospital.

The UN children’s agency UNICEF said there had been 143 measles alerts this year in the seven tribal agencies of the country.

The measles virus is highly contagious and can be fatal, but can easily be prevented by proper immunisation.

However Shah said: “We do not have proper storage for measles vaccination because of long power outages and curfews and most of our stock expires due to these reasons.”

Poverty and poor transport facilities mean villagers in the rugged, mountainous areas cannot come to hospitals for treatment, he added, while military operations and unrest mean vaccination teams cannot reach them.

“There is accumulation of significant number of unvaccinated children in different parts of this region which are revealing as outbreaks or alerts from time to time,” said Dr Quamrul Hasan of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

WHO and local health officials are to carry out a supplementary campaign in the tribal areas aimed at vaccinating more than a million children aged under 10 by the end of June, he said.

Polio vaccination campaigns in tribal areas have in the past suffered because of rumours – sometimes spread by radio stations or from mosque loudspeakers – they were a Western conspiracy to sterilise children to reduce the Muslim population.

But UNICEF said work had been done to tackle misconceptions and there was less suspicion of the measles vaccine, administered by injection, than of the orally-administered polio dose.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15th, 2012.

View the original article here