Measles | HealthCare Africa Magazine

Childhood diseases on rise as COVID-19 fuels major backslide on routine childhood vaccinations

15 July 202115 July 2021 Frank

AFRICA – UN agencies have reported that nearly 23 million children missed out on routine vaccinations last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the highest number in more than a decade, fueling outbreaks of measles, polio and other preventable diseases. Measles, one of the world’s most contagious diseases, can be fatal to children under the age of five, especially in African and Asian countries with weak health systems, according to the World Health Organization. Polio can cripple a child for life. The gap in global vaccination coverage has set up…

Almost four million children set to receive measles rubella vaccine

28 June 202128 June 2021 Frank

KENYA – An urgent measles and rubella (MR) vaccination campaign has been launched in Kajiado County by the Government of Kenya, with support of World Health Organization, WHO, UNICEF, Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The campaign, which will be conducted from 26 June to 5 July, aims to vaccinate 3.9 million children aged 9 months to 5 years, in 22 counties across Kenya. The target counties were selected based on high numbers of unimmunized children and reported measles outbreaks. “The Government of Kenya…