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Navigating Diphtheria Resurgence in Pakistan’s Conflict-Ridden and Disaster-Prone Area

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 November 2024

Junaid Ahmad Open the ORCID record for Junaid Ahmad [Opens in a new window] ,
Muhammad Yasar Shah ,
Abdul Latif ,
Muhammad Sulaiman  and
Kamran Khan
Junaid Ahmad*
Affiliation:
School of Public Affairs, Zijingang Campus, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
Muhammad Yasar Shah
Affiliation:
Salford Royal Hospital, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust
Abdul Latif
Affiliation:
Keele University, UK
Muhammad Sulaiman
Affiliation:
Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
Kamran Khan
Affiliation:
District Coordinator, Jhpiego, Pakistan
*
Corresponding author: Junaid Ahmad; Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Objectives

Diphtheria, a highly contagious disease that can be prevented through vaccination, is emerging in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, an area known for its instability, which presents a severe risk of becoming an epidemic. This is particularly concerning, as the Government of Pakistan intends to send (push back, actually) Afghan refugees back to Afghanistan. This research aims to study the outbreak from an epidemiological perspective and suggest ways to manage it.

Methods

The study uses data from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Department of Health Information System, which systematically collects data throughout the province.

Results

Data from the provincial District Health Information System showed 291 confirmed cases of diphtheria across 28 districts, highlighting the considerable public health challenge posed by the disease’s capacity to spread widely. Among these, 16 cases were confirmed through laboratory tests, emphasizing the urgent need for better diagnostic services to identify diphtheria quickly and accurately. The research points out 4 specific outbreaks confirmed in laboratories in Batagram, Charsadda, Khyber, and Kohat, showcasing the broad geographic reach of the disease and the necessity for targeted public health initiatives in these areas.

Conclusions

By adopting a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach, there is a significant opportunity to reduce and ultimately eliminate the risk of diphtheria becoming an uncontrolled epidemic in the region.

Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 18 , 2024 , e288
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc

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