Following a recent outbreak of the deadly infectious disease that claimed dozens of children’s lives, the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) have decided to distribute anti-diphtheria serum.
The vaccine-preventable disease, which was eradicated from the majority of the world, claimed the lives of at least 39 children and teenagers in the nation despite assurances that routine immunisation rates had increased.
The officials stated that WHO and UNICEF were working together to make plans for the distribution of anti-diphtheria serums.
Pediatricians said that the lack of pentavalent vaccine and anti-diphtheria serum was to blame for the epidemic of diphtheria.
The anti-diphtheria serum is produced in extremely little quantities, according to the officials.
Pediatricians said that the lack of pentavalent vaccine and anti-diphtheria serum was to blame for the epidemic of diphtheria.
According to the officials, very little anti-diphtheria serum is produced now that the disease has been eradicated worldwide.
A representative of the National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHS,R&C) stated that although diphtheria is a fatal bacterial infection and a disease that can be prevented by vaccination, every week dozens of cases are reported from Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan, as well as possible cases from Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Experts in infectious diseases and paediatricians are blaming the federal and provincial expanded vaccination programmes for the increase in cases and are urging an immediate revision of these programmes (EPI).
Experts claim that bacteria named “Corynebacterium diphtheria” produce the deadly infection diphtheria, which can be fatal. It may result in difficulty breathing, irregular heartbeat, and even death. Five vaccines are administered to Pakistani children in order to protect them against five serious illnesses: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), hepatitis B, and Haemophilus influenza type b. (DTP-hepB-Hib).
