Measles kill 20 children in Sokoto
(Nigeria) No fewer than 20 children have been killed by measles in 18
local government areas of Sokoto state in the last 23 days.
Dr Sani Labaran, the Executive Secretary, Sokoto state
Primary Healthcare Development Agency, disclosed this in an interview in Sokoto
on Thursday.
Labaran described the situation as an epidemic.
He said that the deaths were recorded out of the over 300
cases reported to hospitals and primary healthcare centres in the 244 wards
across the state.
Labaran stated that several of the children afflicted by the
disease were currently receiving treatment at various health facilities across
the state.
However, the scribe said: ``The situation has been brought
under control, with many of the affected children, aged 0-59 months treated and
discharged from the hospitals.
``Adequate drugs and medicament had been distributed to
hospitals across the state.’’
Labaran further said that adequate cold chain materials and
vaccines had been distributed across the state.
He said that there was plan by the agency to purchase
solar-powered refrigerators for the various PHCs in the state to sustain the
efficacy of the vaccines.
Labaran regretted that most of the children afflicted by the
epidemic were those whose parents rejected the vaccines conducted in the last
three years.
The executive therefore advised parents to avail their wards
of the opportunity of routine immunisation to prevent further loss of lives.
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