Diphtheria cases surge in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa despite vaccination efforts

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan], October 27 : Diphtheria cases have surged in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, with children across the province continuing to face health risks despite ongoing vaccination efforts led by the Expanded Program of Immunisation (EPI) and the K-P Health Department.
Health authorities are grappling with challenges to fully inoculate children against the infectious disease, as it remains a pressing concern in several districts, the Express Tribune reported.
Sajid Khan, a parent who brought his young son to Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, highlighted the scarcity of diphtheria vaccinations in areas like Bannu, one of K-P's merged regions.
"If our children were fully vaccinated, we would not have to worry about our little ones falling sick. When one child contracts the disease, it can soon spread in the entire village, affecting other children as well," he stated.
An official from the K-P Health Department, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged the difficulties in reaching the full vaccination target. Currently, only 60 per cent of children in the province are vaccinated, despite provisions such as bikes for vaccinators to conduct door-to-door immunisation.
"Although the department gives all the facilities to the vaccinators including bikes, allowing them to go door-to-door for the vaccination of children unfortunately all these efforts have been in vain," the official remarked.
Data obtained from the EPI reveals that 224 diphtheria cases were recorded in K-P from January to October 2024, with no deaths reported so far; however, detailed mortality figures are pending from the National Institute of Health in Islamabad, reported the Express Tribune.
According to district-level data, Peshawar is experiencing the highest concentration of cases, with 80 recorded instances. Other areas affected include Charsadda with 29 cases, Nowshera with 28, Khyber with nine, Swabi and Karak with eight each, and Mardan with two.
Hospital records indicate that 170 cases are currently being treated in the Pediatrics Department at Lady Reading Hospital, with an additional seven patients receiving care at Hayatabad Medical Complex in Peshawar.
Comparatively, the diphtheria outbreak was more severe in 2023, when K-P reported over 1,900 cases and more than 200 deaths.
Muhammad Arif Khan, Director of EPI Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, outlined a comprehensive program to boost immunisation rates across the district. "The catch-up program will focus on vaccinating those children who were missed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the majority of the vaccinators were busy in the prevention campaign," he said.
"Diphtheria vaccine has been included in the list of routine immunisation for children. There were some challenges in carrying out the program in the merged districts because of the law-and-order situation. But now our coverage has exceeded 90 per cent."
Addressing concerns about the availability of Diphtheria Antitoxin Serum (DAS), Arif assured that the province currently has an adequate supply and is also sharing its stock with Balochistan as requested, the Express Tribune reported.
With a focused vaccination campaign underway, authorities are optimistic that the province's diphtheria incidence will decline. Arif emphasised the importance of parental involvement in preventing the disease's spread: "I urge parents to ensure that their children are fully immunised against diseases like diphtheria and measles," he advised.
The ongoing efforts highlight the persistent struggle to control diphtheria in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's vulnerable areas, as officials work to meet vaccination goals and curb the disease's impact across the region.