DADU, Jan 18: With no effective check on measles outbreak in sight, Sindh saw deaths of nine more children in Dadu, Jacobabad and Shaheed Benazirabad districts on Friday.

Five of the fresh deaths were reported from two villages of Mahar taluka, bringing the measles toll in Dadu district within the last 30 days to 28, excluding the cases not reported to any government or a major private health facility.

Two children died of measles in a village near Sakrand in Shaheed Benazirabad district and another two in Jacobabad city on Friday.

Reports from Mahar taluka said that four-year-old Waqar, son of Imtiaz Kurtio, five-year-old Komal, daughter of Mukhtiar Kurtio, three-year-old Moomal, daughter of Abdul Majeed Kurtio, and five-year-old Irshad Khatoon, daughter of Zahid Kurtio, died of measles in Sanwal Kurtio village while another child, Hazar Khan, son of Amir Chandio, died in Khan Jo Goth village.

All the affected families complained that no doctor or vaccinator was sent to the village despite repeated requests made to local health officials about scores of children suffering from measles in the village for a couple of months.

Imtiaz Kurtio told this reporter that his son had been suffering from measles for 15 days and died before any health official or vaccinator could visit the village.

Mukhtiar Kurtio stated that he had taken his daughter to government hospitals in Mahar and Faridabad but measles vaccines were not available there and he had to return home.

Villagers said that five children had already died and over 24 others were suffering from measles in the village but the health officials concerned appeared indifferent.

It was gathered that about 500 children in different villages of Faridabad and Khan Jo Goth union councils needed immediate medical intervention. Residents of the area said that the entire area was hit by the measles outbreak and only a vigorous campaign could help ensure survival of seriously affected children.

Dadu Deputy Commissioner Nasir Abbas Soomro claimed that the administration was taking all measures to control measles. “Leave of absence of all doctors and paramedical staff have been cancelled and a round-the-clock medical service at all government health facilities has been ordered,” he added.

He further claimed that medical teams from the health department had been sent to the affected villages to vaccinate children against measles.District Health Officer Dr Zahid Hussain Dawach said that a total of 137,250 children had already been vaccinated against the disease in Dadu, Mahar, Khairpur Nathan Shah and Johi talukas of the district. Vaccination centres had been established at all taluka headquarters hospitals and the Civil Hospital Dadu where the vaccine was available in an adequate quantity, he said, adding that the centres were functioning round-the-clock.

Mr Dawach said that a WHO team along with doctors would be visiting the affected villages Mahar taluka soon to ascertain facts and reasons behind the outbreak.

He rejected reports about 28 measles-related deaths within the past 30 days as claimed by some sources and verified by the provincial relief department.

Sindh Chief Minister’s Adviser on Relief Haleem Adil Shaikh has established a camp in Dadu to help people get their children treated at the relief department’s expenses. He said that a report on measles outbreak and deaths was being sent to the president and the chief minister on a daily basis.

Meanwhile, acting upon a directive of Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Health Secretary Aftab Ahmed Khatri has replaced Dadu DHO Dr Wazir Ahmed Lund with Dr Zahid Hussain Dawach.

Dr Lund told Dawn by phone that situation arising out of measles outbreak was alarming as deaths from the disease were being reported every day. He said the health officials and doctors concerned were concealing facts and figures.

He claimed that anti-measles vaccine was available at all taluka hospitals of the district in abundance but the officials and staff concerned were showing negligence and lethargy.