Diphtheria, a disease once thought to be a relic of the past, has made a chilling resurgence in Pakistan. After decades of near eradication, the highly contagious bacterial infection is now claiming the lives of children at an alarming rate.
The outbreak began in 2015, but the devastating floods of 2022 exacerbated the crisis. In Sindh province alone, the disease claimed the lives of 55 children last year, and the toll continues to rise this year with 40 child fatalities reported so far. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that diphtheria can lead to severe complications, including respiratory distress and heart damage. Symptoms, which typically appear within a few days of exposure, include sore throat, fever, and swollen neck glands. Without proper treatment, the disease can be fatal in up to 40% of cases, particularly among unvaccinated children.
The efficacy of the diphtheria vaccine is now under intense scrutiny as experts investigate the possibility of its failure to protect fully inoculated children. While this investigation is crucial, it should not detract from the immediate need for widespread immunization. In many parts of Pakistan, routine vaccination rates have plummeted to alarmingly low levels. Balochistan, for example, reports coverage as low as 37%. Moreover, the fact that a significant portion of diphtheria cases involve children over the age of five — outside the Expanded Programme for Immunization coverage — highlights the urgent need to extend the age limit to ensure better protection.
Beyond vaccine coverage, the shortage of diphtheria antitoxin has left hospitals struggling to treat patients, forcing many to refer cases elsewhere. This, coupled with the insufficient number of vaccinators in Sindh (3,500 against a requirement of 12,000), reflects a system stretched to its limits.
Ultimately, the fight against diphtheria requires a concerted effort by all stakeholders. While vaccination drives are essential, public awareness and parental cooperation are equally paramount. Vaccine hesitancy remains a major obstacle, with 250,000 reported cases of refusal in Sindh alone. Without changing this mindset, any progress made by the government will be undermined, leaving children vulnerable to preventable, life-threatening diseases.
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