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Measles deaths;India’s record needs to improve

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Measles deaths are great cause for concern in India; even greater than the latest ongoing pandemic of swine flu.

 

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091212/edit.htm#top

 

Measles deathsWhile the rest of the world, except South East Asia, has achieved the UN goal of reducing measles deaths two years ahead of target, India has not only fallen short but continues to account for the bulk of measles deaths. As three out of four children dying of measles are from India, three-quarters of the 1,64,000 measles deaths in 2008 were from this country. That a large number of children continue to die of an easily preventable disease is shocking and a cause for concern.

Measles, a highly infectious disease characterised by symptoms like fever, cough, runny nose and rash is one of the leading causes of death among children. It can lead to several health complications even among healthy children and in vulnerable populations it becomes deadly. However, the disease can be prevented through two-dose vaccination. Measles vaccine was included in India’s vaccination drive when the Expanded Programme on Immunisation was renamed Universal Immunisation Programme in 1985. Measles vaccine was included in India’s vaccination drive when Expanded Programme on Immunisation was renamed Universal Immunisation Programme in 1985. Sadly, vaccination drives leave a large section of the underprivileged population out of their ambit. According to District Level Household Survey while only 54.1 per cent of the nation’s children are fully immunised, nearly 11.3 per cent children have not received any form of

vaccination. Shortage of vaccines makes matters worse. India is short of 17 crore vaccine doses, including 90 lakhs for measles.

India not only needs to step up its immunisation drives but also must adopt two-dose measles control strategy. Besides, it must focus on awareness campaigns. If massive vaccination drives worldwide could prevent an estimated 4.3 million measles deaths in 10 years and India could eradicate smallpox, there is no reason why children should still be dying of measles. An exporter of vaccines, the nation cannot allow its children to die for want of vaccine or gaps in its immunisation drives whose coverage as of now is rather dismal.

 

 

Thank you very much.

With warm personal regards,

 

Nikhil

Dr. Surender N. Gupta,

MBBS; PGDHHM;PGDMCH;PGCHFWM; FAIMS;FIMS;MA (Phil);MAE (Epidemiology) Faculty, Regional Health and Family Welfare Training Centre, CHHEB, Kangra-Himachal Pradesh, India. Pin-176001.

01892-265472 (Fax); 01892-263472 (Office)Mobile: 094181-28634.

E-mail IDs: drsurendernikhil

drnikhilsurender

 

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