Posts tagged measles

Somalia: Measles Takes its TollMeasles is sweeping unchecked through parts of southern Somalia. The disease is highly contagious and unvaccinated children are at great risk, especially if they are also malnourished. The war in southern Somalia is a key factor contributing to ongoing widespread malnutrition, low vaccination coverage, and lack of access to health care services. All of these factors aggravate the spread and severity of diseases like measles. In some Doctors Without Borders programs, the number of measles cases has sharply increased in recent days and weeks. Many patients arrive in severe condition. “Over the last weeks, we diagnosed and treated over 300 patients for measles—mainly children—in the towns of Haramka and Marere in Lower Juba Valley,” said Silvia Colona, Doctors Without Borders’s project coordinator for southern Somalia. “We also set up a measles treatment unit in the city of Kismayo last week, and it filled up immediately with critically ill children.”Somalia 2011 © Martina Bacigalupo A four-year-old boy suffering from measles and malnutrition waits for his medicine in Banadir hospital in Mogadishu.

Somalia: Measles Takes its Toll

Measles is sweeping unchecked through parts of southern Somalia. The disease is highly contagious and unvaccinated children are at great risk, especially if they are also malnourished. The war in southern Somalia is a key factor contributing to ongoing widespread malnutrition, low vaccination coverage, and lack of access to health care services. All of these factors aggravate the spread and severity of diseases like measles.

In some Doctors Without Borders programs, the number of measles cases has sharply increased in recent days and weeks. Many patients arrive in severe condition.

“Over the last weeks, we diagnosed and treated over 300 patients for measles—mainly children—in the towns of Haramka and Marere in Lower Juba Valley,” said Silvia Colona, Doctors Without Borders’s project coordinator for southern Somalia. “We also set up a measles treatment unit in the city of Kismayo last week, and it filled up immediately with critically ill children.”

Somalia 2011 © Martina Bacigalupo
A four-year-old boy suffering from measles and malnutrition waits for his medicine in Banadir hospital in Mogadishu.

Combined with malnutrition, measles is now the main killer of children in Somalia.

Duncan McLean, head of MSF programs in Somalia,

MSF teams have been battling the deadly combination of measles and acute malnutrition, which affects children in particular. A large proportion of the population has not been vaccinated against measles or any other diseases because years of instability and the lack of an effective government or a functional state have caused the healthcare system to collapse.

Measles, if untreated, can be highly fatal for children.

The conflict that began two decades ago in Somalia continues, and its consequences are currently exacerbated by drought—one of the worst on record in the country. Thousands of people have been forced to flee Somalia, and are seeking humanitarian aid in refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia. A measles epidemic is spreading. The lack of infrastructure and services is worsening the population’s vulnerability. In recent weeks, civilians have endured new military offensives launched in southern Somalia and in the capital Mogadishu. It is in this context that Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has, in less than six months, provided intensive medical care to more than 10,000 severely malnourished children who were brought to medical facilities. MSF has projects in northern Kenya, including in Dadaab; in eastern Ethiopia, in refugee camps in Malkadida, Kobe, Bokolmayo, Hilleweyn, Dolo Ado; and across much of south-central Somalia itself, in Marere, Beletwayne, Dinsor, Daynile, Mogadishu, Jowhar, Guriel, and Galcayo. MSF has also enrolled a total of 54,000 severely malnourished children in outpatient feeding programs in more than 30 locations in these three countries. At the same time, MSF teams have been battling the deadly combination of measles and acute malnutrition, which affects children in particular. Read morePhoto: Somalia 2011 © Yann Libessart/MSF

The conflict that began two decades ago in Somalia continues, and its consequences are currently exacerbated by drought—one of the worst on record in the country. Thousands of people have been forced to flee Somalia, and are seeking humanitarian aid in refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia. A measles epidemic is spreading. The lack of infrastructure and services is worsening the population’s vulnerability. In recent weeks, civilians have endured new military offensives launched in southern Somalia and in the capital Mogadishu.

It is in this context that Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has, in less than six months, provided intensive medical care to more than 10,000 severely malnourished children who were brought to medical facilities. MSF has projects in northern Kenya, including in Dadaab; in eastern Ethiopia, in refugee camps in Malkadida, Kobe, Bokolmayo, Hilleweyn, Dolo Ado; and across much of south-central Somalia itself, in Marere, Beletwayne, Dinsor, Daynile, Mogadishu, Jowhar, Guriel, and Galcayo. MSF has also enrolled a total of 54,000 severely malnourished children in outpatient feeding programs in more than 30 locations in these three countries.

At the same time, MSF teams have been battling the deadly combination of measles and acute malnutrition, which affects children in particular. Read more

Photo: Somalia 2011 © Yann Libessart/MSF

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Fighting a Deadly Measles Outbreak Amid Insecurity in Somalia

Measles have hit the displaced population in and around Mogadishu especially hard. MSF teams are working to try to contain the disease despite significant challenges.

What it costs to prevent measles epidemics

• It costs less than US$1 for the vaccine to protect one child from measles for life.

• It will cost $212 million to reach the Measles Initiative’s target of reducing measles deaths by 95% by 2015.

• The funding shortfall: There is a present funding shortfall of $43.4 million to reach this target.

“5 Lives” tells the stories of people who MSF works with every day, people whose lives often hinge on whether or not they can gain access to a simple medical intervention. These are situations that could be avoided with proper and sustainable funding and investment in public health. That’s why MSF supports calls to permanently allocate a small portion of a new financial transaction tax (FTT), which has been proposed by some governments, to support global health needs. A regular stream of funding would help provide some of the resources needed to address unchecked health crises around the world.

Earlier this year, Dr. Northan Hortado and his colleagues, faced with an exploding measles epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo, took part in a massive emergency response program and vaccinated three million children. Lack of support for basic immunization programs means that MSF teams are seeing more and more measles outbreaks that are unnecessarily claiming children’s lives. Great strides have been made to rid the world of measles - one of the biggest childhood killers that used to claim over two and a half million children’s lives a year. Following the launch of a global initiative in 2001, the numbers of children dying of measles-related conditions dropped by 78 percent. But recently, donors have cut back on funding measles immunization efforts. This trend now threatens to reverse the tremendous gains made. “The problem is that the fight against measles is no longer seen as a political priority – not within ministries of health and not by donors, who are reducing funding,” said Gwenola François, measles vaccination campaign manager in the DRC. “It costs just one dollar for the vaccine to protect a child against measles for life. Organizations like MSF cannot just continue to rush in to put out the fires caused by these…long term deficiencies of measles prevention programs.” “5 Lives” tells the stories of people who MSF works with every day, people whose lives often hinge on whether or not they can gain access to a simple medical intervention. These are situations that could be avoided with proper and sustainable funding and investment in public health. That’s why MSF supports calls to permanently allocate a small portion of a new financial transaction tax (FTT), which has been proposed by some governments, to support global health needs. A regular stream of funding would help provide some of the resources needed to address unchecked health crises around the world. Photo: © Gwenn Dubourthoumieu

Earlier this year, Dr. Northan Hortado and his colleagues, faced with an exploding measles epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo, took part in a massive emergency response program and vaccinated three million children.

Lack of support for basic immunization programs means that MSF teams are seeing more and more measles outbreaks that are unnecessarily claiming children’s lives.

Great strides have been made to rid the world of measles - one of the biggest childhood killers that used to claim over two and a half million children’s lives a year. Following the launch of a global initiative in 2001, the numbers of children dying of measles-related conditions dropped by 78 percent. But recently, donors have cut back on funding measles immunization efforts. This trend now threatens to reverse the tremendous gains made.

“The problem is that the fight against measles is no longer seen as a political priority – not within ministries of health and not by donors, who are reducing funding,” said Gwenola François, measles vaccination campaign manager in the DRC. “It costs just one dollar for the vaccine to protect a child against measles for life. Organizations like MSF cannot just continue to rush in to put out the fires caused by these…long term deficiencies of measles prevention programs.”

“5 Lives” tells the stories of people who MSF works with every day, people whose lives often hinge on whether or not they can gain access to a simple medical intervention. These are situations that could be avoided with proper and sustainable funding and investment in public health. That’s why MSF supports calls to permanently allocate a small portion of a new financial transaction tax (FTT), which has been proposed by some governments, to support global health needs. A regular stream of funding would help provide some of the resources needed to address unchecked health crises around the world.

Photo: © Gwenn Dubourthoumieu

After heavy fighting erupted on October 20 in Daynille, on the outskirts of Mogadishu, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) was forced to suspend its measles vaccination campaign in the area. The campaign had been scheduled to last three weeks and to reach 35,000 children. Measles is currently wreaking havoc in Somalia, and MSF has vaccinated more than 60,000 people for measles over the past two months. Read more Photo: Somalia 2011 © Feisal Omar

After heavy fighting erupted on October 20 in Daynille, on the outskirts of Mogadishu, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) was forced to suspend its measles vaccination campaign in the area. The campaign had been scheduled to last three weeks and to reach 35,000 children. Measles is currently wreaking havoc in Somalia, and MSF has vaccinated more than 60,000 people for measles over the past two months. Read more

Photo: Somalia 2011 © Feisal Omar

A few of the millions of Somalis who have left their villages to search for food and security took shelter inside this former Italian cathedral in downtown Mogadishu in August. MSF is now treating 22,139 children in its nutrition programs in Somalia and in refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya, and has vaccinated some 126,896 people against measles. Read more Somalia 2011 © MSF

A few of the millions of Somalis who have left their villages to search for food and security took shelter inside this former Italian cathedral in downtown Mogadishu in August. MSF is now treating 22,139 children in its nutrition programs in Somalia and in refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya, and has vaccinated some 126,896 people against measles. Read more

Somalia 2011 © MSF

Fighting Measles in Somalia Proves Difficult

Today in Somalia, measles is among the biggest threats to the survival of tens of thousands of vulnerable malnourished children. The disease can sweep quickly through overcrowded displacement camps where malnutrition levels are high and immunity low.

We know for a fact that there will be additional epidemics in the near future. It would simply not be right to wait for them to occur. We need an effective system to anticipate and prepare for the coming outbreaks.

Florence Fermon, MSF’s vaccination coordinator on the increasing number of measles epidemics.

On September 13-14, 2011, the Measles Initiative met in Washington, D.C., bringing together organizations seeking to eliminate measles worldwide. Given the troubling resurgence of measles epidemics over the last three years, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is calling for an effective outbreak response mechanism to be established immediately, with secure financial and technical resources.

Since 2008, MSF has responded to epidemics that have expanded over time. In 2010, for example, more than 4.5 million children were vaccinated in emergencies in many countries, including Chad, Malawi, South Africa, Yemen and Zimbabwe. This year, medical teams in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) vaccinated three million children, but could not halt the epidemic. Despite data showing the urgent need for action, actors in the field were slow to organize. The DRC is no exception. Most countries that experience these epidemics do not adequately mobilize the resources available to them and organize vaccination campaigns.

Read more here about what MSF is calling for to ease the outbreaks.

Somalia: Fighting Measles and Malnutrition in Mogadishu

MSF teams are battling a deadly combination of measles and acute malnutrition among children living in displaced persons camps in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.

Six-year-old Yurub was suffering from measles and then became malnourished. MSF treated her for both and she is now recovering. More photos from our work in Galcayo, Somalia. Somalia 2011 © Sven Torfinn

Six-year-old Yurub was suffering from measles and then became malnourished. MSF treated her for both and she is now recovering.

More photos from our work in Galcayo, Somalia.

Somalia 2011 © Sven Torfinn

Somali women and children at a measles vaccination campaign run by MSF in Mogadishu last week. Read this interview with two MSF staff on the ground in Mogadishu, they describe the humanitarian situation and the initial steps MSF has taken in the Somali capital. No Time to Waste in Mogadishu Photo: Somalia 2011 © Martina Bacigalupo / Le Monde / Agence VU

Somali women and children at a measles vaccination campaign run by MSF in Mogadishu last week.

Read this interview with two MSF staff on the ground in Mogadishu, they describe the humanitarian situation and the initial steps MSF has taken in the Somali capital.

No Time to Waste in Mogadishu

Photo: Somalia 2011 © Martina Bacigalupo / Le Monde / Agence VU

A national staff member takes a break to play with children during MSF’s emergency response to a raging measles epidemic in remote Maniema Province, Democratic Republic of Congo. Staff used canoes, motorcycles, and cars to reach the affected population at 12 sites. By May 20, MSF had treated more than 2,000 patients; 250 required hospitalization. Read more: Treating Measles in a Remote Province of DRC Photo : 2011 © Laetitia Legrand/MSF

A national staff member takes a break to play with children during MSF’s emergency response to a raging measles epidemic in remote Maniema Province, Democratic Republic of Congo. Staff used canoes, motorcycles, and cars to reach the affected population at 12 sites. By May 20, MSF had treated more than 2,000 patients; 250 required hospitalization.

Read more: Treating Measles in a Remote Province of DRC

Photo : 2011 © Laetitia Legrand/MSF

The disease is spreading like wildfire. All parties involved in health in the DRC must now make this epidemic a national priority.

Gaël Hankenne, MSF head of mission in the DRC where MSF is expanding its emergency response in three provinces: Tshikapa in Kasaï Occidental province, at Fizi in South-Kivu province, and at Kolwezi and Likasi in Katanga province. More than one million children will be protected with emergency vaccinations.

Full Press Release.