Guys, this why vaccination is very important!
Recently, a 14-month-old baby girl in Johor died after contracting Diphtheria (aka acute respiratory infection) because the family previously refused to get her the vaccination for the infection, according to The Reporter.
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In a statement, Director General of Health Malaysia Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah was quoted as saying,
“The child came down with a fever and sore throat on 4 October 2018 and was brought to a private clinic for initial treatment on 11 October 2018.”
“The next day, the child was brought to the emergency department of a hospital because of breathing difficulties and poor appetite.”
“The patient was admitted to the children’s ward and subsequently transferred to the paediatric intensive care unit on 13 October 2018 because she had become very weak and needed breathing aid.”
The report further revealed that she eventually lost the fight and died due to “severe diphtheria with multiorgan failure” on 15 October 2018. Poor baby!
A test was then conducted on the baby’s throat and smear samples from it showed the presence of a bacteria named Corynebacterium diphtheriae. As of now, the Ministry of Health is still waiting for the complete laboratory test result.
FYI, Diphtheria is an acute infection caused by a bacteria named Corynebacterium diphtheriae. It will spread through a cough or sneeze of an infected person or the bacteria carrier. The infection is often found on one’s throat and tonsils whereby a visible thick grey coating will appear in those areas.
Therefore, Dr Noor Hisham urged the public to get the proper vaccination, especially for contagious diseases like the one mentioned above. He said that these vaccinations can be obtained at any government and private clinics. He continued,
“The failure to vaccinate your kids will expose them to bacterial infection and also put the community (people around them) in danger.”
He further added that parents who have yet to vaccinate their children should do so according to the timetable set by the Ministry of Health. For children who have yet to get their vaccination, they can still get it from any of the nearest clinics in their area.
It’s important that we get vaccinated, especially for contagious diseases, because it can help our immune system fight the diseases. Not only that, vaccination will ensure the safety of people around us too, so that they will not be infected by any contagious diseases that we might be carrying.
Don’t forget to get vaccinated, guys!
Also read: Measles Outbreak On the Rise in M’sia Because People are Refusing Vaccination