Pakistan: Over 100 children die in Karachi due to lack of anti-diphtheria vaccine

Over 100 children have died in Pakistan's Karachi from diphtheria this year due to the unavailability of Diphtheria Anti-Toxin (DAT), despite the disease being preventable through vaccination, sources reported.

According to Sindh's health officials, last year 140 cases were received by Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital and 52 of them could not survive.

Meanwhile, experts of infectious diseases said the antitoxin medicine used against the disease was not available across Sindh, including Karachi.

They said antitoxin worth Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 0.25 million was used for treating one child, sources reported.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Diphtheria is a contagious disease caused by a bacterium that affects the upper respiratory tract and skin. It produces a toxin that damages the heart and the nerves.