16 African countries under measles threat | 185 deaths in 2010

By: Victor Ulasi

Brazzaville/Dakar, (Apr 23) – Sixteen countries of West and Central Africa are under the threat of measles outbreak as UNICEF records 22,364 cases and 185 deaths, in the year to 28 March 2010.

The threat is being attributed to shortage of funding for the continuity of awareness on measles around the world and in Africa from donors and governments, thereby endangering the lives of children.

UNICEF and the World Health Organization have resulted in a reduction of 92% of cases during 2000-2008 in the Africa. However, West and Central Africa have only immunized 80% of their population via routine immunization whereas the recommendation target is 95%.

WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo said, “The percentage level of immunization in Africa means that every three to four years, a very large outbreak of measles is expected to occur in Africa.”

“To prevent the resurgence of measles in Africa, the continuation of vaccination campaigns must be done every two to three until African Health care system can afford to provide the minimum of two doses of vaccination children as well as the treatment for the diseases,” Sambo added.

UNICEF Director for West and Central Africa, Dr. Gianfranco Rotigliano said, “the failure to immunize every child creates the room for measles outbreak as the unimmunized children are prone to measles attack”

The reported cases provided UNICEF indicated that, In 2009, the measles outbreak in Burkina Faso caused over 50, 000 cases and 340 deaths while the outbreak in Benin, Guinea, Mali, Niger and Senegal accounted for 16, 808 cases and 68 deaths.

In 2010, sixteen countries have measles outbreaks in West and Central Africa and among them are countries such as Sierra Leone and Liberia.

“The funding gap must be met so that countries can continue to undertake large-scale campaigns to prevent child deaths and sustain the gains. Reaching the 2010 goal will also require strengthening routine immunization and disease surveillance systems to rapidly detect and control outbreaks,” added Dr Sambo.

Responding to the outbreak, UNICEF plans to launch a follow-up campaigns in 2010 in the affected countries like Congo, CAR, Gabon, DRC, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali if funding are made available.

Funding needed for follow-up campaigns are estimated at more than $100 million worldwide and $39million for the Africa region.

Source: UNICEF

Posted by worldnews on April 23, 2010. Filed under Africa Regional News,Central Africa,Human Interest - Africa,News - Africa,Northern Africa,United Nations Headlines. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.