Sindh reports more than 13,000 typhoid cases this year

This year more than 13,000 cases of typhoid have been reported in Sindh.

“The actual number of patients suffering from this disease is more than what is reported,” said National Institute of Child Health Paediatric Director Dr Jamal Raza. “We have estimated that the numbers stated are of culture proven cases of typhoid,” he said. “The actual amount will be four to five times greater than this.”

Dr Raza estimates that there are likely more than 50,000 cases of typhoid in the province.

The cure for the disease has become expensive and thousands of rupees are spent on it, said Dr Khalid Shafi, a child specialist at NICH.

“We have been seeing a strange phenomenon for the past 2.5 years,” he said. “The bacteria of typhoid has spread rapidly throughout Sindh and its treatment cost has jumped from Rs50,000 to Rs100,000.”

The Sindh government recently launched an anti-typhoid campaign that aims to curtail the growing number of typhoid cases.

The campaign will run until November 30. Around 10.1 million children between the ages of nine months and 15 years will be vaccinated against typhoid, including its multidrug-resistant form, free of cost.

Parents are urged to get their children vaccinated, said Dr Raza. He added that the vaccine offers long-term immunity and has no side effects.