Kampala, December 25(Darfur24)Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has announced a rapid increase in measles cases across Central, South, and West Darfur in Sudan, calling for an urgent and effective vaccination campaign and the resumption of routine immunization programs to curb the disease’s outbreak.
In a statement posred on its Facebook page, the organization confirmed that more than 1,300 cases have been recorded since last September in health facilities supported by MSF, “despite repeated calls for vaccination campaigns and the resumption of routine immunization programs.”
MSF urged the authorities to immediately remove all bureaucratic and administrative obstacles preventing the delivery of vaccines throughout Darfur.
She added, “There are needs to be a greater urgency on the part of UNICEF to coordinate efforts to increase the transport and delivery of vaccines, syringes, and other essential supplies. We also call on state and federal health ministries to launch an urgent measles vaccination campaign and a routine immunization program.”
Ahmed Fadhel, emergency coordinator for Doctors Without Borders, said, “Measles is a preventable disease; it only requires routine immunization and timely reactive vaccination, but due to the conflict, administrative hurdles, and delays by key agencies, both are severely limited.”