The minors’ burials was fast tracked to conceal the cause
of their deaths.
This has revoked sad memories of 2010 when the disease
killed many children who were denied access to vaccines.
Measles is a viral infection that starts in the respiratory
system, and still remains a significant cause of death for children under the
age of five despite the availability of safe and effective vaccines in the
country.
The virus is transmitted by airborne droplets when an
infected person sneezes or coughs, and immunisation is among the most
successful and cost effective prevention interventions available.
This, however, faces radical resistance from members of
some apostolic churches whose doctrines abhor health seeking behaviour.
The disease can also affect pregnant mothers, thereby
causing foetal death or congenital defects, blindness, deafness, congenital
heart disease and mental retardation in new born babies.
A team led by Manicaland Provincial Medical Director (PMD),
Dr Simon Nyadundu was on Wednesday in Mutasa to assess the situation on the
ground.
Mutasa District Medical Officer (DMO), Dr Cephas Fonte said
the children – who all had symptoms like cough, fever, running nose, red eyes,
sore throat, white spots inside the mouth and widespread skin rash – died before
clinical investigations which later confirmed the outbreak, and had their
burials fast-tracked.
Dr Fonte said an alert village health worker in the Zindi
area raised a red flag after detecting that some children had measles symptoms,
prompting her health superiors to collect samples to test for the disease.
“There is a measles outbreak in the district following
reports from Zindi Clinic where a village health worker raised alarm that she
had identified children with measles symptoms. We then conducted
investigations, and collected about six samples, of which two tested positive
for the disease. The unfortunate part is that the measles outbreak started from
religious objectors who are very difficult to engage.
“We have enlisted the services of traditional leaders,
among other stakeholders, to try and find ways of penetrating the area, and a
breakthrough is imminent. Our teams are on the ground vaccinating the
children,” said Dr Fonte.
While the faith-healing apostolic churches believe in the
power of prayer rather than medicine, this culture has been criticised as
children succumb to curable diseases due to their parents’ beliefs.
Although the Constitution guarantees freedom of worship, it
does not permit children to be harmed through religious practices, nor does it
allow religion to harm a child.
“There were six suspected measles deaths recorded this
month, and the unfortunate part is that these deaths occurred before the
outcome of our clinical tests. Most of them occurred from religious objectors who
fast-tracked the burial of the children.
“It was when we started probing the deaths that we picked
information that the affected children had the aforementioned measles
symptoms,” said Dr Fonte.
He said the most common symptoms among children under five
years old include diarrhoea, dehydration, pneumonia and convulsions, which are
very dangerous.
He said the measles vaccine is readily available, and apart
from it, children are also getting Vitamin A to boost their immune systems.
Measles remains an major cause of child mortality, although
the numbers of measles-related deaths has decreased during the last decade as a
result of childhood immunisation programmes and follow-up vaccine campaigns.
Despite rapidly increasing measles immunisation coverage in
the province, measles remain endemic, and regular outbreaks occur.
The most recent outbreak occurred in 2010 when a
significant number of children died in Marange.
The peak incidence occur among under two-year-olds,
followed by those aged between five and seven.
Poor nutrition and failure to vaccinate children against
measles are blamed for the outbreak of the disease.
“Children with symptoms and those who are due for the
vaccine must be taken to the nearest health facility for vaccination. Measles
is not curable, but we can only manage the symptoms. Our clinics throughout the
district are adequately stocked and ready to assist anyone who needs
assistance,” said Dr Fonte. Manica Post
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