Measles, mumps and rubella pose new threat to children

By Ayoki Onyango

There is resurgent threat to your little ones.

Deaths due to measles and related diseases such as mumps and rubella are as a result of lack of seriousness in taking preventive measures by children carers and lacklustre campaigns by health authorities.

This has in the past couple of years exposed Kenya to increased risk of new cases of these three childhood diseases. Medical experts warn that measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) are spreading in all parts of the country quietly and killing children without the knowledge of public health authorities.

Children most affected are aged between one and five. And the number could increase due to the fact that most children failed to be immunised/vaccinated against the MMR diseases before they reached nine months of age.

Medics say children who are immunised against measles at nine months, also require a booster after 15 months. Investigations show that the children who die or contract the disease may not have been vaccinated.

The rapid spread of childhood diseases has been blamed on the declining number of un-vaccinated children and the influx of refugees from neighbouring countries like Somalia and Sudan.

In 2006, the Ministry of Health launched awareness campaigns with vaccination provided free of charge in all public health centres. Since then little has been going on, thus the sudden increase in cases of MMR in the country.

For this reason, every effort should be made to ensure vaccines are available for children in need.

The occasional measles outbreak in the country can be attributed to failure to conduct a measles follow up campaign in 2005 as per The Strategic Plan.

Experts advise that a two-dose immunisation schedule is the most effective strategy against MMR. The strategy recommends that the vaccine efficacy be reinforced in babies by giving the MMR vaccine at 15 months.

A combined vaccine known as Trimovax is available and offers protection against MMR. To get vaccinated doesn’t require a doctor’s consent. Simply walk into any immunisation centre and ask for the jab.

The writer is a medical journalist and a student of law.