A measles epidemic in Thailand concerned by Muslims

BANGKOK, Thailand – Thai health authorities are trying to contain the measles epidemic in the country's southern provinces, where 14 deaths and more than 1,500 cases have been reported since September.

Officials blame the return of the disease for a low vaccination rate in the south of the country, caused by misconceptions about the nature of the vaccine among the Muslim population.

Islam prohibits the consumption of pork and vaccine manufacturers sometimes use gelatin derived from pork products as a stabilizer. However, Vicharn Pawan, who is responsible for health, said Thailand imports measles vaccines that do not contain pork gelatin.

Recent cases in the predominantly Buddhist Thai majority Muslim provinces account for half of the total for the country as a whole since the beginning of the year.

The number of measles cases in the country has increased in recent years, the Thai Ministry of Health said. Last year, nearly 3,000 cases – without deaths – were reported, compared to just over 1,000 in 2012. According to the World Health Organization, the UN and Japan have Also reported outbreaks of measles, while Europe experienced a surge in 2017 with more than 20,000 cases and 35 deaths.

"More and more, there is a lot of misunderstanding about the vaccinations that are spreading around the Muslim communities here, some say it's against their religion to get vaccines, while others think it's "It's not safe," said Anchanee Heemmina, a human rights activist in the southern area.

The Indonesian Council of Ulema, the religious body ruling the largest Muslim population in the world, faced the same problem earlier this year when some local Muslim groups declared their opposition to the vaccine. He decided that Muslims were allowed to use these vaccines out of necessity until other options were available. This statement follows a measles outbreak in the province of Papua, in eastern Indonesia, which is said to be responsible for the deaths of 100 children.

The Indonesian controversy may be at the root of Muslim concerns in Thailand and other countries.

According to the Prevention and Control Bureau of the Thai Ministry of Health, misunderstandings about vaccination have resulted in some areas where only 60% of the population is vaccinated.

According to the World Health Organization, at least 95% of the population must be vaccinated for a community to be considered immune to the spread of the disease, for highly contagious diseases such as measles.

Thai health authorities have posted on their websites messages from local religious leaders urging people to accept vaccines.

A video message from the Central Islamic Council of Thailand explains that even if the vaccines contain items prohibited by religion, the medical benefits for the person and the community will take precedence.

At the same time, health workers travel to schools and homes in measles-affected areas to target children under 5 free of charge, also offering them to other vulnerable people. They are also trying to make it known that Islamic religious organizations have agreed to the use of such vaccines, said Vicharn Pawan, director of the Health Risk and Behavior Communication Bureau of the Ministry of Health.

The resistance has not been defeated. Twenty families from three villages in Yala Province refused to be vaccinated. Ten of them have signed an official letter declaring their intention not to be vaccinated in the future, public broadcaster ThaiPBS announced on Monday.

The Yala Public Health Bureau said in a statement that its medical teams will continue to work in the communities to address their concerns.

"We are still facing difficult tasks," said Vicharn. "But health workers will continue to reach out to communities, even if they refuse vaccination this time, we will have to continue the visits and continue to send the message that vaccines are good for their health and their community. . "