While the number of deaths from the world’s worst measles epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) exceeds the threshold of 6000, the World Health Organization (WHO) calls for more fundraising to stop this epidemic.
Under the leadership of the Ministry of Health DRC, theWHO, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and other agencies and partners vaccinated more than 18 million children under the age of 5 across the country in 2019. However, in some areas, routine immunization coverage remains low, while 25% of recorded measles cases concern children over five, who are the most vulnerable.
‘‘ We are doing everything we can to control this epidemic. However, to be truly successful, we need to make sure that no child runs the unnecessary risk of dying from an easily vaccine-preventable disease. We urge our donor partners to step up their emergency assistance, “said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, Regional Director forWHO for Africa.
Since the start of 2019, around 310,000 suspected cases of measles have been reported. The epidemic has been exacerbated by the low immunization coverage of vulnerable communities, malnutrition, weak public health systems, outbreaks of other diseases with epidemic potential, difficult access of vulnerable populations to health care and insecurity hampered response in some areas.
Lack of funding remains a major obstacle to controlling the epidemic. So far, $ 27.6 million has been raised. However, an additional $ 40 million is needed for a six-month response plan to extend immunization to children aged six to 14 and to strengthen other epidemic response activities beyond immunization . This includes, inter alia, improved care, education and health information, community engagement, strengthening of the health system, epidemiological surveillance and coordination of the response.
‘‘ We welcome the government’s commitment to efforts to end the epidemic and we are also grateful for the generosity of our donors. But we still have to do more, ’’ said Dr Amédée Prosper Djiguimdé, Office Manager,WHO in DRC. ‘‘ Thousands of Congolese families need our support to ease the burden of this protracted epidemic. We cannot do it without sufficient finances. ’’
ECHO (European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Doctors of the World, Doctors without Borders, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), theWHO and other partners continue to support the government of the DRC for the control of this long-lasting epidemic. In December 2019, theWHO trained more than 60 health professionals from the Ministry of Health to strengthen the major components of the response on the ground, including community engagement, health education and epidemiological surveillance. These health professionals are being deployed this week as part of the intervention.
Distributed by APO Group for World Health Organization (WHO).
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