HYDERABAD: Around 110 Diphtheria positive cases and 12 deaths at Fever Hospital alone this year have made officials in the Health and Family Welfare department press the panic button. They are now gathering statistics on the disease in the entire state.In 2016, a total of 230 positive cases and 25 deaths were reported at the hospital. Alike last year, officials said not all the children are vaccinated against Diphtheria and some are partially vaccinated. In 2016 too, the number of positive cases started to peak from July.
In 2017, the number of positive cases increased in July (21) and August (27). The number of deaths (5) too was highest in July.Caused by Corynebacterium Diphtheriae, toxins are released which spread through blood stream, enter the heart and damage it, which is irreversible. Medical consultation should be sought if anyone suffers from fever, throat pain accompanied by white membrane on tonsils-which is one marked sign of the disease.Officials said that while prevention (vaccination) is the key to control Diphtheria, if a person contracts it, the key to control the damage is early diagnosis and treatment.
Telangana’s Epidemic Cell is gathering statistics on positive cases and deaths throughout the state. World Health Organisation (WHO) states that ‘Diphtheria affects people of all ages, but most often it strikes unimmunised children’.As per statistics available, among the 12 deaths in 2017, nine are of children below 12 years, three in the age group of 16 to 30-years. Six of the 12 deceased are from Hyderabad and Rangareddy district. Officials said that three of them were not immunised at all.
Child Health and Immunisation officer Dr G Sudheera said that usually people in the Old City of Hyderabad resist the vaccine. She said that a special drive would be taken up only if the number of cases are comparatively higher than last year’s cases. She said that as of now they are caught up with Measles-Rubella vaccination campaign and the number of Diphtheria cases would be looked into after the campaign ends, which is on September 20.
President of Helping Hand Foundation - an NGO, Mujtaba Hasan Askari said that rumours on impact of vaccines is holding back people from getting their children immunised. “There is general perception that vaccination affects reproductive health and illiteracy aggravates the situation. Government and civil society need to do their part in creating awareness about importance of vaccination,” Mujatba Askari said. Pentavlent vaccine which includes vaccine against Diphtheria is given at six-weeks, 10-weeks and 14-weeks after birth of a baby. Booster doses of DPT are given when a child is one-and-half-year-old, three-years and five-years.
Superintendent of the Fever Hospital Dr K Shankar said that adults too can take the vaccine every 10-years. The vaccines are given on every Wednesday at Primary Health Centres (PHC) and at Anganwadi and Community Centres on Saturdays.