Diphtheria in Morocco: 6 deaths and reluctance to vaccinate threatens immunity

Health experts in Morocco warn that the increasing reluctance to vaccinate weakens collective immunity and opens the door to the return of diseases that were almost under control, after new deaths were recorded due to diphtheria, at a time when the spread of measles has continued for years without full control. Dr. Tayeb Hamdi, a doctor, researcher in health policies and systems, and Vice President of the National Health Federation, believes that these diseases "have not actually disappeared, but have been controlled through vaccination," warning that any decline in vaccination rates reopens the door Morocco recorded five deaths from diphtheria in the Souss-Massa region, in addition to another death in the Youssoufia region that affected a 13-year-old girl, bringing the total number of deaths announced to six cases. Diphtheria has been transformed from a local focus in Agadir-Idautnan province into a national file after the registration of suspected cases in Casablanca, prompting parents of pupils and the Regional Directorate of Education to tighten health vigilance procedures in schools. Measles has been ongoing since 2023 along with Diphtheria, Dr. Hamdi points out that the measles epidemic has started since September 2023 and is still ongoing, which reflects the existence of real gaps in vaccine coverage at the level of some regions and age groups, which hide behind the apparently reassuring national averages. According to him, collective immunity to these diseases remains incomplete as long as these local gaps persist. Reasons for hesitation in vaccination The researcher in health systems links the decline in vaccination demand to several interrelated factors, including a wave of doubts and information The misleading situation that accompanied the Covid-19 pandemic, in addition to structural obstacles related to difficult access to vaccination centers, late appointments, and poor health communication with some families. Dr. Hamdi calls for renewing citizens' confidence in national vaccination programs by bringing the service closer to them and intensifying sensitization in schools and less covered areas. Why it matters These data are especially important because diphtheria and measles are diseases that can be completely prevented through routine vaccination, which makes any death due to them an indicator of a gap in health coverage rather than an inevitable one. Specialists believe that restoring families' confidence in vaccines, especially in areas where deaths have been recorded, is an urgent priority to avoid the spread of these two diseases in the coming months.