Sindh to launch vaccination campaign against superbug typhoid fever in March

The Sindh Health Department announced on Monday that it will launch a vaccination campaign for 'superbug' typhoid fever in March. The vaccination for superbug typhoid fever has also been added to the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), which aims to vaccinate children aged 0-15 months against ten vaccine-preventable diseases. According to the health department, children between the ages of six months to five years will be vaccinated in the first phase, while children between the ages of five to 15 years will be vaccinated in the second phase. Related: Superbug typhoid fever rings alarm bells in Sindh Around 10 million children will be vaccinated in the programme and more than 10,000 vaccinators will also be hired for the job. On Thursday, the health department said the virus had adversely affected children in parts of Karachi, including Saddar, Liaquatabad, North Karachi and Lyari, and Hyderabad’s Latifabad. The superbug typhoid fever is characterised by a virus that does not respond to most antibiotics. “The disease is caused by the excessive consumption of antibiotics,” said Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho. Dr Umar Sultan said drinking contaminated water is the prime cause of this disease and cases are being reported in interior Sindh in large numbers.