Miri, Sarawak health officials have confirmed that a two-year-old is dead after contracting what is suspected to be diphtheria after her parents refused to vaccinate her against the preventable disease.
The toddler passed away on Wednesday at the hospital. She was admitted a week ago after her condition worsened.
Probes into the child’s medical history show that her parents refused the recommended inoculations for religious reasons.
Most religious leaders, whether they are Christian or Muslim, have universally agreed with medical officials that the health and safety of their followers is paramount.
However, some individuals have chosen to ignore progress, research and modernity, and have advocated for parents to not inoculate their children in the name of religion.
Recently in Nigeria, the rhetoric of a few imams has managed to convince some local populations to forgo the polio vaccine, and as a result, cases of a once nearly eradicated disease have increased dramatically.
Most recently, a diphtheria outbreak in Indonesia in November and December of last year claimed 38 lives, with over 600 individuals being effected.
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that can transmit easily from person to person. A vaccine against the disease has been recommended by doctors for decades, and is typically given to infants ensuring their immunity to the disease.
