Diphtheria Outbreak in KP: 92% of Cases in Unvaccinated Children
APP
Peshawar: The number of diphtheria cases continues to rise in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with the total reaching 544 cases and 30 deaths, a sharp increase from 387 cases and 26 deaths reported in November.
Health experts attribute the surge to a combination of low vaccination rates during the COVID-19 pandemic and parental hesitancy in completing the Pentavalent vaccine, which protects against five life-threatening diseases, including Diphtheria.
According to Dr. Asghar Khan, Director of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), about 92 percent of the cases have been found in individuals who have not received the required vaccination.
He also pointed out that 86 percent of the cases are in children aged five and above, which correlates with the disruptions in vaccination schedules caused by the pandemic.
“Vaccine hesitancy, particularly regarding the Pentavalent vaccine due to concerns over side effects like fever and swelling, has contributed to the outbreak,” Dr. Asghar explained.
Local health authorities have been actively responding to the outbreak, with case searches and immediate outbreak investigations being conducted wherever a case is reported.
Awareness sessions are held in communities to educate the public about the importance of routine immunization and the isolation of infected individuals from healthy family members. Additionally, vaccination campaigns are being carried out in affected areas to curb the spread of the disease.
The pediatric ward at Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s largest hospital, is currently overcrowded with children suffering from diphtheria, a potentially fatal disease caused by the bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriae.
The disease is preventable through vaccination, but the province has seen a significant drop in immunization rates due to COVID-19-related disruptions.
To combat the ongoing outbreak and increase vaccination coverage, the second phase of the “Big Catch-Up” program will be launched on December 23, 2024.
This initiative, supported by WHO, GAVI, UNICEF, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, aims to ensure that children who missed vaccinations during the pandemic receive the necessary doses. The first phase of the program, which ran in October 2024, successfully reached 124,000 children across eight districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
In addition, health officials are considering the administration of booster doses of the diphtheria vaccine for children above five years of age to protect them from the disease.
Dr Asghar emphasized the need for increased vaccination efforts to prevent further spread of diphtheria and other vaccine-preventable diseases in the region.
