By Imtiaz Hussain
SUKKUR: A suspected Mpox case has been reported in an adult in Khairpur, following earlier cases among children in the same area, officials said.
Israr Ali, 19, son of Ali Bux Gopang, a suspected Mpox patient from Choundiko, was referred from the Rural Health Centre Choundiko to Khairpur Medical College Hospital (KMCH) isolation ward for further evaluation and treatment.
Meanwhile, Dr Kaleem Ullah Sheikh has been posted as the new District Health Officer (DHO) Khairpur, replacing Dr Barkat Kanhar, who was transferred amid allegations of failing to control the outbreak.
Reports further suggested that the Medical Superintendent of Civil Hospital Khairpur and the Deputy Commissioner Khairpur were also likely to be transferred. The allegations include allegedly fabricating records, concealing data on affected children and failing to inform higher authorities.
It was also reported that a high-level delegation of medical experts, during a visit to the Children’s Hospital at KMC Khairpur, expressed dissatisfaction over the isolation ward set up for Mpox patients and raised concerns over standard operating procedures. The team observed that despite clear signs of viral infection, children had been admitted to a general paediatric ICU rather than being isolated, which they said was against established protocols and could have contributed to transmission.
The delegation also noted that no detailed investigation into travel or exposure history had been conducted. Initial cases were reportedly misclassified as chickenpox before being identified as Mpox, which is more commonly reported in parts of Africa.
Sources suggested that the first two cases, reported in March 2026, were not immediately disclosed and that authorities waited for the 21-day incubation period to pass, which allegedly contributed to the spread of the outbreak that left nine children dead.
Preliminary inquiry reports reportedly held the DHO and other officials responsible, leading to initial steps towards administrative transfers.
On the directives of the prime minister and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, a high-level delegation of medical experts from Islamabad, Karachi and Hyderabad visited the Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) to review measures to prevent the spread of Mpox cases in Khairpur and surrounding areas.
The delegation included experts from the National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad, Dow University of Health Sciences, and the Sindh Healthcare Commission, including Dr Azizullah Khan, Professor Dr Saeed Khan, Dr Wajid Hussain, Dr Musab Umair and Dr Muhammad Mudassar.
They visited the paediatric emergency and inpatient wards at GIMS Gambat and held a meeting with Director GIMS, Captain (retd) Dr Raheem Bux Bhatti, to discuss containment measures. The meeting decided to conduct training sessions for healthcare workers on infection prevention and control protocols, increase the number of incubators, and ensure the availability of personal protective equipment (PPE).
The experts also recommended that diagnostic testing for measles and chickenpox be carried out at local laboratories, with samples sent to Karachi for further confirmation. They stressed the importance of public awareness campaigns and the use of social media to spread information.
The delegation appreciated the GIMS administration for its response and noted that the hospital had adopted a COVID-style management model to handle the outbreak.
The team also visited affected areas, including Bozdar Wadda and nearby villages, and met parents of affected children to gather information on travel and contact history. They also questioned hospital staff, including the DHO, medical superintendent and paediatricians, regarding treatment protocols and investigation procedures.
The experts reportedly suggested that parents of affected children should also be isolated during the incubation period and recommended screening for infectious diseases among both parents and children. They also noted that environmental samples had not been collected from affected villages.
Concerns were also raised about procedural issues, including the use of privately purchased admission files, inadequate washing facilities in isolation areas, and possible lapses in infection control infrastructure.
The delegation said it would finalise its findings after completing visits, reviewing samples and assigning responsibility for lapses in the response.
