Measles jabs urged in South

The Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC) has pledged to work closely with public health officials in their efforts to eradicate a severe measles outbreak in the deep South.

The move follows 15 deaths from the virus so far this year in the three southernmost provinces, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, mostly in Muslim communities.

Between Jan 1 and Nov 4, 10 people in Yala and five in Pattani died from complications from measles while more than 1,200 others also contracted the disease.

The latest casualty was reported on Nov 4 when a 10-month-old baby boy died in Pattani. A few days earlier, a nine-month-old baby girl from Yarang district died after she was admitted to Pattani Hospital.

Rear Adm Somkiat Ponprayoon, deputy secretary-general of the SBPAC, said the agency will mobilise resources to assist health authorities in administering vaccines to children in both homes and schools.

He said several children have not been vaccinated against preventable diseases such as measles because they live in remote areas and do not have access to medical services.

He said in some cases people reportedly refuse to allow children to be vaccinated due to religious concerns.

According to Rear Adm Somkiat, the SBPAC will enlist support from community and religious leaders to raise awareness of the need for childhood vaccination.