Significant Drop in Measles Cases at Kabul Hospital Thanks to Vaccination Campaign

Officials at Indira Gandhi Children’s Health Hospital have reported a decrease in cases of measles in recent weeks. They attribute this improvement to the widespread implementation of the Ministry of Public Health’s nationwide vaccination campaign…

Officials at the Indira Gandhi Children’s Health Hospital in Kabul have announced that in recent weeks, cases of measles among children have significantly decreased. They say that the implementation of vaccination campaigns has played an important role in this trend.

Vaccination, the main factor in reducing patients

Mohammad Aref Hassanzi, head of the internal department of this hospital, said: Before the start of the vaccination campaign, more than twenty to twenty-five children were admitted daily to our department with measles, but now the number of patients has decreased. He added that initial results indicate that vaccination has had a significant impact on preventing the spread of the disease.

Families’ accounts of treating infected children

Rangina, a 9-month-old child hospitalized in the measles department of the hospital, is an example of new patients. Her mother, Noor Bibi, says: She had a fever and diarrhea for three to four days and her throat was sore. When I took her to the doctor, he said she has measles. The doctors have assured that if treated on time, the risk of death from this disease is significantly reduced.

Second phase of vaccination begins in 17 provinces

Last month, the Ministry of Public Health launched a nationwide measles vaccination campaign in two phases. The second phase of this program is set to be implemented this week in the remaining 17 provinces. This plan is part of the national program to combat infectious diseases.

Doctors: Timely vaccination is the key to preventing measles

Mansour, one of the doctors at the Indira Gandhi Children’s Health Hospital, says: The most important way to prevent the disease is timely vaccination of children under five years old. Families should ensure that their children are vaccinated at health centers.

Global statistics; thousands of cases and hundreds of fatalities

According to World Health Organization statistics, from the beginning of this year until the twenty-first week, more than 59,000 suspected measles cases have been reported across Afghanistan, resulting in the deaths of 384 individuals. Global health experts say that if vaccination and regular monitoring continue, the trend of this disease’s outbreak can be controlled in the coming months.