By : Jawahir Habib
Measles is a highly-contagious viral infection. It spreads by contact with the infected person through coughing and sneezing. When in close contact one person infected with measles can communicate a disease to 90% of the people who don’t have immunity (i.e. without previous vaccination or previously contracted the disease). The disease can also lead to severe health complications, including pneumonia, encephalitis, severe diarrhea and blindness
Measles is a highly-contagious viral infection. It spreads by contact with the infected person through coughing and sneezing. When in close contact one person infected with measles can communicate a disease to 90% of the people who don’t have immunity (i.e. without previous vaccination or previously contracted the disease). The disease can also lead to severe health complications, including pneumonia, encephalitis, severe diarrhea and blindness
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| A child being immunized in IDP Camp Quetta |
Measles in a major killer of children in emergencies.In complex emergencies infection rates increase as damage to infrastructure and health services interrupts routine immunization, and overcrowding in residential camps greatly increases the risk of infection. In developing countries, 1-5% of children with measles die from complications of the disease. This death rate may be as high as 25% among people who are displaced, malnourished and have poor access to health care.
Diarrhea, acute respiratory infections, measles malaria and malnutrition are the major killers of children in complex emergencies. Of these diseases, measles is the only condition against which an effective vaccine currently exists
UNICEF Balochistan along with its partners World Health Organization and Department of Health Balochistan is saving children all over the country from measles through immunization. UNICEF focuses its efforts on urgent, structured and coordinated supplementary immunization activities, together with vitamin A supplementation, to reduce measles mortality during and after the flood emergency.
All the children from 6 months to five year old are being immunized against measles in the flood affected districts of Balochistan i.e.Naseerabad,Jafferabad,Kohlu,Barkhan,Sibi and Bolan along with the camps established in other districts for IDPs as in Quetta. Vitamin A supplementation is also being provided to the same age group along with measles vaccination.
The immunization is being carried out at the health facilities and the health camps of the affected districts. Currently to date 05.09.2010 about 48 ,407 children have been immunized in the flood affected districts of Balochistan through efforts by UNICEF and its partners. Nearly 10,000 children have been vaccinated in Naseerabad which is one of the worst affected districts in Balochistan where nearly 127526 people have been affected.
UNICEF along with its partners is working for prevention of disease such as Measles and polio in children of the flood affected areas.
