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JEDDAH: Measles, one of the most infectious diseases known to man, is on the move again, despite the efforts of health agencies that only a decade ago thought to be about to defeat this disease.
Epidemics, easily prevented by a single dose of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR), have increased sharply in the last two years. Children have been hit hard, often with deadly consequences.
The resurgence of measles cases has prompted warnings from health experts that the immunization gap is finally wreaking havoc.
Urgent efforts are needed to increase immunization coverage, otherwise the results could be devastating, they warn.
As part of a World Health Organization (WHO) Global Immunization Action Plan, measles and rubella must be eliminated in five regions, including the Middle East, by 2020.
The main public health strategies of the Organization to reduce the number of deaths from measles include routine immunization of children against measles, combined with mbad immunization campaigns in countries where routine coverage is available. low.
Measles is transmitted by direct contact with infected droplets or by spreading in the air. The disease has killed millions of people throughout history before the introduction of the MMR vaccine in the 1960s.
Despite efforts by WHO and other health agencies, immunization coverage has declined slightly globally.
The increase was also blamed on a growing "anti-vax" movement worldwide.
The measles vaccine in Saudi Arabia is mandatory and no child is allowed to enter the education system without proof of his vaccination record.
However, some parents are caught in the worries of the anti-vaccine movement, stemming from a 1998 study now discredited and published in the medical journal The Lancet. The study, which has since been retracted, claimed to link MMR vaccine to autism.
"There is a growing group of parents or caregivers who deliberately ignore or deny the benefits of childhood immunization and selfishly deny all potential threats to public health," said Dr. Haya Zedan, Ph.D. Public Health Assistant at the College of Health. Science at the Saudi Electronic University of Riyadh.
Arab News asked several "anti-vaxxers" from the Saudi school community to comment, but they refused to continue.
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"This group can also be well educated and have a high socioeconomic status," said Zedan. "I think the solution to this problem may lie in a more proactive and visible position of the authorities, using solid evidence to refute the claims of the anti-vax group.
"Health promotion campaigns, education campaigns and dynamic social media could be used to dispel growing mistrust of vaccines," she said.
The dangers of avoiding vaccinations were evident last week in New York, where Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a public health emergency to fight a measles outbreak, imposing vaccinations in the Brooklyn neighborhood.
"We are in a situation where children are in danger. We must take this seriously, "said de Blasio.
Zedan said there were several reasons for the return of the disease, including the media sensationalism surrounding the rare reactions to measles vaccines.
Conspiracy theories and misinformation about vaccines are commonplace online, Zedan warned.
"Another reason is the high cost of vaccinations in the private sector, which is prohibitively expensive and can lead to excessive delays in immunizations," she said.
According to UNICEF, measles cases have increased by about 50% between 2017 and 2018, with 300,000 cases reported and 136,000 deaths last year.
"The measles vaccine has been on the market since the 1960s and (the disease) has killed millions of children each year before its development," said Dr. Abeer Aboud Alnajjar, pediatric infectious diseases consultant and badistant professor, to Arab News. at King Abdulaziz University Hospital.
"There can be many reasons for not administering vaccines: anti-vaxxers, neglect, misinformation. This is unfortunate because you do not harm yourself or your child, but the whole community. The rise of anti-vaxxers will bring back the progress of medicine in the years to come (vaccine development before 1960), "said Alnajjar.
In 2000, measles was declared eliminated in the United States after a large vaccination program. According to the US-based Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of cases was stable until the number of cases increased in 2014 and again in 2018.
Although there are no national figures for Saudi Arabia, in the first half of 2018, Europe recorded more than 41,000 cases of measles, with 37 deaths. As of March 2019, 30,500 cases in Ukraine had been reported, including 11 deaths; 21,396 cases were reported in the Philippines, including 315 deaths; and 10,334 cases were reported in Brazil, resulting in 12 deaths.
"If we can promote, we can prevent it," said Dr. Nabeela Al-Abdullah, Infection Control Consultant and Associate Professor in the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Public Health at King Abdulaziz University Hospital.
"Measles outbreaks are preventable, but they continue. There is a lack of education regarding the MMR vaccine. I published a report on the Burmese population in Jeddah. The number of unvaccinated persons reached 500 cases in 14 wards. The numbers were staggering, "she said.
"Their communities are very united and an infection can easily be transmitted. Their reason for not vaccinating their children was due to a misconception that it would cost them. It's expensive, especially since many have low-paying jobs. After my report, the Saudi Ministry of Health said that all vaccines were free in all health facilities. "
Many diseases can be prevented by vaccination. "Denying or neglecting the importance of immunizations is a big step backwards," said Alnajjar. "Vaccines and antibiotics are the two most important medical discoveries."
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