The Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in collaboration with the Borno state government is to immunize 415,508 children against measles. The six months and nine-year old children are targeted for vaccination in Gwange 1, 2 and 3 Districts, Bolori ward and the Khaddamari council headquarters of Jere. MSF Head of Mission in Nigeria, David Therond in a statement Friday in Maiduguri, disclosed: “Routine vaccinations are critical to save lives. “The vaccination campaign was in response to an increase of measles cases in Maiduguri environs since December, 2020.” He noted that it is the first time MSF has the opportunity to be involved in a measles vaccination campaign in the state. He warned that measles is extremely contagious and particularly dangerous for young children suffering from malnutrition or other comorbidities. He said that 1,689 measles cases have been treated in the Gwange pediatrics hospital in the last four months. On targeted children to be vaccinated, he said: “The immunization exercise commenced April 26, 2021. It was planned for five days to immunize 103,823 children in Gwange ward of Maiduguri, 277,295 children in the informal IDP camps of Bolori 1 and 2.” He added that MSF teams are supporting the state government to immunize 34,290 children in Khaddamari, the council headquarters of Jere. According to him, Khaddamari is near Zabarmari, where a higher number of measles cases are being reported. Amina Mohammad, a mother of seven in Umara Bolori IDP camp said: “My youngest child has been immunized in the recent campaign against measles. “Tanimu the other child has just received his measles vaccination.
“I gave birth to him seven years ago and that was the time we were displaced in Niger Republic. “This explains why he’s not been vaccinated as we were constantly on the move from one point to the other.” She noted that they finally settled down here in Maiduguri camp for over two years. Amina added that being a women leader in camp, a good example has to be laid for other women to avail their children for vaccination against measles and other child-killer diseases. A total of 1,698 measles cases has been treated in Gwange paediatric hospital from 1 st January 2021 to 25 th April 2021, out of which 1,167 were admitted into the inpatient department and 49 deaths were recorded. During the same period, the MSF team in Fori have treated a further 103 children, already suffering from malnutrition, for measles. “Routine vaccinations are critical, they save lives,” said David Thérond, MSF Head of Mission in Nigeria. When they are not possible for security reasons, a catch-up vaccination campaign like this one must be organised as soon as the first cases emerge”. In order to protect the community from COVID 19 during the vaccination campaign, MSF is providing 40,000 face masks to the staff doing the vaccination as well as to the mothers of children who are being immunised.
