A preventable death !

Measles was fast becoming an extinct disease in Australia, but in other parts of the world it accounted for a big proportion of childhood deaths.   India and Africa headed the list of countries in which it was prevalent but world health services report a dramatic drop in deaths in the past decade.

Statistics are not very reliable in most third world countries, but it is estimated that child deaths from Measles dropped by three quarters between 2006 and 2010.  According to this estimate, mortality decreased from a high of about 535,00 to just 139,000 - and the main cause was - immunisation !

First world countries have been making serum available at low cost and third world countries now have improved health services that are spreading to regional areas.  A similar situation is fast developing with other diseases, including polio.

The sad thing is that here in first world Australia, Measles if making a comeback.  We are seeing outbreaks of this children's disease because some parents have refused immunisation.   There is a fear that something in the immunisation process - and mercury is often blamed - links giving immunity from diseases with the onset of autism.

This has not been proven conclusively - either way, but the risk is small and it is a truism that no medical procedure is entirely free of risk.    There is plenty of evidence that many unimmunised children have developed autism, hence it is a balance between a greater good and a very small risk factor that must be taken into account.

The problem is that if Measles again takes hold it will gain strength and be difficulty to combat.   Just a few unimmunised kids can provide the breeding ground  and from there it could spread to the general adult population - and specially the old and frail.

It would be one of life's ironies if we manage to defeat a killer disease that was running rampant in the third world, and at the same time allowing it to regenerate and gain strength here in Australia, because a rumour was persuading parents to refuse immunisation for their children.