Ninth death in Yala measles outbreak

Yala Provincial Public Health Office continued to dispatch officials to vaccinate young children against measles on Monday, aiming to complete the vaccination of all those at risk in the province by November 4.
The acting director of Tambon Yala Health Promotion Hospital, registered professional nurse Thelma Doyor, led a team to provide vaccine to 15 children in Ban Pajo (Moo 3) in Mueang district.
Aiming to cover the area’s 108 toddlers, the hospital had previously vaccinated 35 kids and would ask for additional dosage so as to cover the rest by November 4, she said.
Abdul-Roning Abdulloh, the imam of Ban Pajo Mosque, said he was inviting residents to bring their young children to get vaccinated against the measles outbreak as he was able to confirm that it was acceptable for Muslims to receive the vaccine.
He cited his previous consultation with many Muslim doctors about the vaccine, as some people were afraid to have their kids vaccinated due to a rumour that it was not in accordance with halal principles.
He said he would urge people during Friday prayer assembly that this health-prevention move was necessary to protect young children from the outbreak.
Last week, Yala Provincial Public Health Office executive Dr Songkran Maichum denied that a shortage of the vaccine was the cause of recent measles deaths in the province, and said that patients had failed to seek medical attention at hospital early enough and had subsequently died of health complications.
He also blamed the fatalities on the lack of vaccination at an early age.