Thousands of flood-displaced children remain out of reach of measles vaccination

Health officials have indefinitely stalled vaccination in three flood-hit districts, warning that displaced children face a heightened risk of infectious disease outbreaks.

A few days after the Bhotekoshi flood, members of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee sat down for a meeting to discuss risks of communicable diseases. Such risk remains high in the aftermath of the disaster, said Dr Arun Kumar Neopane, a member of the committee. “Our own experiences of the past show that,” he said. “Authorities concerned should not take much time to take precautionary measures.”