Al-Junaynah, December16 (Darfur24)
The director of Al-Geneina Teaching Hospital, Al-Shafi Saleh Younis, announced on Tuesday the outbreak of measles in Al-Geneina, the capital of West Darfur State, warning of a worsening health situation and calling for an urgent vaccination campaign.
Dr. Younis told Darfur24 that the hospital is receiving more than ten new measles cases daily, with one death recorded so far. He said the hospital has established dedicated isolation centers for infected patients in an effort to contain the spread of the disease.
He emphasized that immediate vaccination is crucial to preventing further transmission and averting a broader health crisis, particularly in the state’s fragile healthcare system.
Meanwhile, the Director General of the West Darfur Ministry of Health, Dr. Mohamed Al-Habib Musa, said the ministry is awaiting the arrival of measles vaccines to begin a vaccination campaign. He explained that the vaccines were dispatched from Port Sudan about a week ago, but have yet to reach the state.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has also warned of the rapid spread of measles across Darfur, especially among children affected by conflict, malnutrition, and limited access to healthcare.
The organization cautioned that delays in vaccination campaigns are putting children’s lives at serious risk and urged the Ministry of Health and humanitarian agencies to launch an immediate and comprehensive response.