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21000 children die in Pakistan each year from measles.http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=77565[*QUOTE*]
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humanitarian news and analysis
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Wednesday 23 April 2008
PAKISTAN: Lack of awareness handicaps anti-measles drive
LAHORE, 2 April 2008 (IRIN) - "I do not have time to
take my children for injections. What's the use anyway?
They're quite healthy," Muhammad Zubair, father of
two daughters Rashida aged 9 and Momina 3, said in
Lahore.
Like millions of other children across Pakistan, his children
have not been vaccinated against measles, a potentially fatal
childhood disease. According to Pakistan's Ministry of
Health,
21000 children die in Pakistan each year from
measles. The ministry, as part of the Expanded Programme on
Immunisation and supported by the World Health
Organization (WHO), began an 18-day "catch-up"
campaign on 17 March, during which it hopes to vaccinate
34 million children against the disease in the Punjab and
Islamabad.
"We have set up 76,000 vaccine points in the province
and 12,000 teams have been constituted in all districts,"
the director-general for health services for the Punjab,
Mohammad Aslam Chaudhry, told IRIN in Lahore.
Special arrangements have also been made to preserve the
"cold chain" necessary to ensure the vaccine is safe and
effective.
As part of the campaign, children aged between 9 months
and 13 years are being targeted. Through giant
advertisements in the media, health authorities have asked
parents to bring them to vaccination camps for the injection
to be given.
Lack of awareness
But a lack of awareness means not everyone is ready to take
advantage of the campaign and it is now feared many will go
unvaccinated.
"I had measles when I was small. I recovered quite
quickly," said Sumera Ahmed, 30, the mother of three
children under 12.
They have not yet been vaccinated and Sumera said she was
â œnot yet sureâ - if she would take them to a camp.
The fact is that most people in the country do not realise that
measles, a viral infection of the respiratory system, can lead
to major complications, including pneumonia, blindness and
inflammation of the brain.
"Even when these complications do not occur, measles is
an uncomfortable and quite severe illness. Children need to
be protected," Nauman Khan, a local physician in
Lahore, said.
Vitamin A
Medical experts also point out measles can be especially
severe in malnourished children, particularly those
suffering Vitamin A deficiency.
This means many Pakistani children are at risk, with high
rates of under-nourishment and vitamin deficiency reported
by the government and international agencies.
The WHO has been promoting a stepped-up drive against
measles globally. It reports: "Vaccination has had a
major impact on measles deaths.
From 2000 to 2006, an
estimated 478 million children aged nine months to 14 years
received measles vaccine through supplementary
immunisation activities in 46 out of the 47 priority countries
with the highest burden of measles."
Pakistan ranks among these countries, but at present a lack
of awareness among people as to the risks posed by the
disease is handicapping anti-measles campaigns and this
factor will need to be more effectively addressed if the rate
of measles infection is to be brought down and lives saved
over the coming years, say health experts.
kh/ds/at/cb
Theme(s): (IRIN) Children, (IRIN) Health & Nutrition [ENDS]
[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]
Copyright © IRIN 2008. All rights reserved.
This material comes to you via IRIN, the humanitarian news and analysis
service of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The
opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the United Nations
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set out in the IRIN copyright page.
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[*/QUOTE*]
Von 2000 bis 2006 wurden in 46 der 47 Länder mit der höchsten
Priorität 478 Millionen Kinder gegen Masern geimpft:
[*QUOTE*]
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From 2000 to 2006, an estimated 478 million children
aged nine months to 14 years received measles vaccine
through supplementary immunisation activities in 46 out
of the 47 priority countries with the highest burden of
measles."
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[*/QUOTE*]
478 Millionen, das ist ungefähr die Hälfte der Bewohner von Nord- und Südamerika.
Es wird immer so getan, als ob die mehr als 800 Millionen Bewohner von Nord- und Südamerika niemals geimpft werden könnten.
Aber sie sind es.
Es wird immer so getan, als ob die mehr als 800 Millionen Bewohner von Nord- und Südamerika eine unermeßliche Größe seien - irrational groß, außerhalb der Reichweite.
Doch hier sieht man, daß in 7 Jahren 478 Millionen Kinder geimpft wurden.
Impfen ist machbar!
Ausrottung von Krankheiten ist machbar!
.
