KATHMANDU, Oct 11 - Measles, the cause behind 25 percent child mortality two decades back, has significantly decreased with hardly any reported death this year. However many cases of German measles, which results in the birth of disabled children have been diagnosed.
The government had started regular measles vaccination in a few districts in 1979. However, only one round of mass vaccination for children from nine months to 15 years was carried out in 2004/05 after Child Health Division (CHD) under the Department of Health's estimate that 5000 child mortality cases was due to measles.
"Besides regular measles vaccination, the mass vaccination campaign carried out last year saved the lives of thousands of children," said Dr Shyam Uprety, chief of vaccination department in CHD.
According to data provided by the division, 2,838 cases of measles like cases were reported in 2004/05, while it was 5,023 in 2003/04 and it was 10,849 some five years back. Dr Uprety said not one child mortality case till date this year was due to measles.
Dr Uprety said that of those reported cases of measles like diseases, the majority were diagnosed as German measles, for which the government has not started vaccination. "But we will study how many of the disability cases in the country are due to German measles. Thereafter, we will start vaccination in 2008, " he said. A combined vaccination called MMR (Mumps, Measles and Rubella) needs to be administered for German measles .
He also said a minimum of reported cases are measles. However, the government will carry out another round of mass vaccination in 2008, since the new study has shown that one round of vaccination is not enough. The mass campaign, according to him, is to fulfill the need for a second round of the dose.
"The first round is covered by regular vaccination," he added.
According to Dr Babu Ram Marasini of Ministry of Health, 25 percent of
child mortality used to be due to measles till some decades back. He said that measles among children results in pneumonia, malnutrition, high fever, and diarrhea that finally kills the child.
According to an official at National Public Health Laboratory, just about 300 tested positive for measles in 2005. However, of the number tested in the lab there were rarely cases of complete measles, rather, those were cases of German measles, which is also known as rubella, the official said. "We have data from all health institutions throughout the country collected through WHO Surveillance Centers," he added.
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The Kathmandu Post, SANGEETA RIJAL
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