Four major hospitals in Karachi have reported 144 child deaths linked to measles and diphtheria during the first seven months of 2026. Health officials said both diseases are preventable through timely vaccination and urged parents to ensure children receive all recommended vaccine doses.
According to hospital data, a total of 1,915 measles cases were recorded between January and July 2026. The disease claimed the lives of 125 children during the reporting period. Another 19 children died after contracting diphtheria.
The figures were compiled from Indus Hospital, the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital and Research Centre, the National Institute of Child Health (NICH), and the Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology.
Among the reporting facilities, Indus Hospital treated around 850 measles patients. The hospital recorded 17 deaths from the disease. It also admitted eight children with diphtheria, with one death reported.
The Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital and Research Centre reported 575 measles cases and 81 diphtheria cases from January 1 to July 26. The hospital recorded 54 child deaths, including 36 from measles and 18 from diphtheria.
The Sindh Institute of Child Health and Neonatology treated 484 measles patients during the same period. The hospital reported 65 child deaths linked to the disease.
Complete figures from the National Institute of Child Health were not available. However, hospital sources said at least seven children had died from measles in recent weeks.
Doctors at NICH said many children reached the hospital in critical condition. Several patients had already received treatment at other healthcare facilities before being referred.
Medical experts warned that delayed treatment could lead to serious complications. These include pneumonia and encephalitis, a brain inflammation that may result in death or permanent disability.
Pakistan Paediatric Association representative Dr. Khalid Shafi said vaccination coverage remains strong at birth. However, many children miss follow-up doses as they grow older.
He estimated that around 20 to 25 percent of children in Pakistan do not receive their vaccines on time. Under the Expanded Programme on Immunisation, children receive the first measles vaccine at nine months and the second dose at 15 months.
Dr. Shafi said at least 95 percent vaccination coverage is needed to effectively control measles. He urged parents to complete the vaccination schedule and encouraged healthcare providers to check children’s immunisation records during every visit.
Sindh EPI Project Director Dr. Raj Kumar said measles cases in the province have declined by 35 percent compared with last year. Sindh recorded 3,025 measles cases and 59 deaths during the first seven months of 2026. During the same period in 2025, the province reported 4,626 cases and 57 deaths.
The province also confirmed 46 diphtheria cases and 10 deaths this year. During the first seven months of 2025, Sindh had recorded 148 cases and 14 deaths.
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Dr. Kumar said unvaccinated children, delayed treatment, parental negligence, and misconceptions about vaccines remain major challenges. He added that the government continues vaccination campaigns and has recruited 970 additional vaccinators to strengthen immunisation services across Sindh, including Karachi.
