2023-07-11 19:43:00
In the days following the teenager’s death, two other siblings, aged 11 and 2.5, were successfully treated for the same condition. In Belgium, diphtheria is rare and relatively unknown to practitioners. Vaccination has almost eradicated it from the country. It has not disappeared, however, since a vaccinated person can carry the bacteria.
“Weaknesses in the system”
Following the death of Laïba, une analysis was carried out by the Risk Assessment Group, an organization coordinated by Sciensano bringing together around the same table, medical epidemiologists from Sciensano, experts and representatives of health authorities from different entities in the country. This note notes that Laïba and her sister were not vaccinated, “despite a prolonged stay in Belgium, which indicates weaknesses in the system.”
The observation: for both diphtheria and other diseases such as measles, vaccination coverage is too low among asylum seekers. The great mobility of this specific population, the fragmented distribution of skills in Belgium or the absence of an electronic vaccination record are presented as so many difficulties.
“For adults, even if vaccination is started at registration (which is not always the case), further follow-up for the administration of subsequent doses is difficult.” The primary vaccination schedule providing for three doses is not followed systematically. The protection is therefore insufficient.
At the beginning of July, a note was sent to practitioners to make them aware of this specific disease. Various recommendations, in particular a clear definition of the roles and responsibilities of each of the actors concerned, have been proposed to improve the vaccination coverage of immigrant populations.
Illness rarely encountered
Between 2015 and 2021, 0 to 3 cases of diphtheria were reported each year in Belgium. The last fatal case recorded dated back to 2016. A 3-year-old child had died. Nevertheless, in 2022, more than 300 cases have been reported among immigrants in Europe, including Belgium. A series of recommendations were then formulated by the Risk Assessment Group. These provided in particular for the awareness of clinicians likely to take care of asylum seekers, or even better vaccination of this segment of the population. A stock of antitoxin was also replenished. Since January 2023, no more cases had been encountered.
More than 250 people vaccinated
Following Laïba’s death, the Red Cross Center in Legs called on the services of the Walloon Agency for Quality Life (AVIQ) to put in place the appropriate health procedures, report our colleagues from RTBF. A testing of all people who may have had a high-risk contact has been put in place. None of the tests came back positive. More than 250 people have been vaccinated. A testing was also carried out within the school of the teenager. No cases have been detected. If diphtheria is particularly contagious, the high vaccination coverage in Belgium limits the danger posed by the disease. As such, “the total number of cases in Belgium should remain limited”, notes the Risk Assessment Group.
The family under an order to leave the territory
Last week, the Félicien Rops Technical Institute and the Athénée royal de Jambes organized a support action for two families of students threatened with expulsion.
One of these families is none other than that of Laïba who was enrolled in the Jambois establishment. If the order to leave the territory is well before the death of the teenager, the situation is particularly difficult for the family. The teachers of the Royal Athenaeum of Jambes wanted to support them, in particular by organizing a march in the streets of the Walloon capital.
1689122345
#Diphtheria #kills #Laïba #Weaknesses #system
