Coronavirus in Africa could amplify measles epidemic

While Africa is struggling to protect itself from Covid-19, another disease is feared by the NGOs present on the ground. “It is essential to protect children against measles, otherwise we will have an epidemic within the Covid-19 pandemic, which will be extremely difficult to manage,” warns Dr Sal Ha Issoufou, head of mission for Doctors Without borders (MSF) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), attached to Kinshasa.

A concern shared by the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), a public-private partnership bringing together in particular the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Bank and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry. For the group, an epidemic of measles would further exacerbate the fragile situation of health systems, already shaken by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Risky confinement

In the DRC, measles killed two and a half times more people than the Ebola virus during the epidemic of this hemorrhagic fever, recalls the Vaccine Alliance. By limiting routine vaccinations, the containment measures due to Covid-19 could cause other deadly epidemics, such as measles, warns the group, whose mission is to negotiate with pharmaceutical giants at very low prices, compatible with means of poor countries.

In the field, several health actors contacted by France 24 in the DRC, Central Africa and West Africa believe that the Covid-19 pandemic will have an impact in the long term on the fight against measles, which particularly affects children.

For the moment, the activities of MSF, present in ten provinces of the DRC, are continuing, reports Dr Sal Ha Issoufou. The NGO works in areas still relatively untouched by Covid-19, most of the cases listed are concentrated in Kinshasa, and in North Kivu.

Risk of syringe shortage in the DRC

In the DRC the measles epidemic, which reappeared in July 2018, is still not under control. The virus has infected more than 335,000 children and killed 6,300 of them in 2019 alone, according to the WHO. Also the fight of the NGOs present on the ground to vaccinate the populations at risk continues for the moment. “The vaccination campaigns already planned will take place, but we cannot go beyond that. If the measles epidemic spreads to a new area, it will be really difficult to invest, ”says Dr Issoufou.

First of all, the lack of personnel. "Today there is no flight to reach Kinshasa, but usually our teams take turns," said the head of mission. The other major concern is the risk of a shortage of medical equipment, mainly syringes. "For the moment, there is no shortage of consumable material yet, but if the epidemic were to spread, it would be problematic".

Luckily, a new vaccine storage warehouse was opened in the fall in Kinkole, on the outskirts of Kinshasa. "It can cover current needs for more than six months," said Elizabeth Mukamba, director of the expanded immunization program, interviewed by France 24.

Vaccination campaign suspended in Burkina Faso

In Burkina Faso, the situation is more problematic. MSF had to stop its measles vaccination campaign due to the tightening of the confinement. Out of more than 100,000 vaccinations planned, only 28,000 children were able to receive the measles doses in Dédougou and 13,000 in Boromo, in the west of the country.

After the ban on assemblies of more than 50 people which came into force on March 14, the NGO had been forced, in consultation with the authorities, to go directly to the homes of residents of these two cities to vaccinate their children. However, since the health alert was put in place on March 26, Dédougou and Boromo have been quarantined and the authorities have asked MSF to suspend its vaccination campaign.

For the NGO Alima, which provides medical aid in twelve countries in West and Central Africa, including Burkina Faso, the closing of borders on the continent poses personnel problems: “90% of our resources come from Africa and it is currently difficult for us to bring personnel from Senegal to Burkina ”, explains to France 24 Dr. Moumouni Kinda, its director of operations. The NGO, as well as other actors in the medical sector, call for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor, so that personnel and equipment can be transported to the states that need it.

Protect caregivers, in insufficient number

In the strategies of caregivers, the two diseases are not put in competition, the fights against Covid-19 and measles remain intimately linked. “Strong action is needed against the Covid-19. We must be certain that the health centers can continue to remain open, because our human resources are not sufficient in Africa ”, worries Dr Moumouni Kinda. Alima, which does not have an ongoing measles vaccination campaign, has therefore redirected part of its resources to prevent contagion from the coronavirus. But if aid workers become infected, they will no longer be able to continue treating other diseases.

However, insists Dr Moumouni Kinda, we must not lose sight of the impact that the coronavirus will have on the measles epidemic. “We must now plan and organize catch-up vaccinations for families who cannot move and relaunch mass vaccination campaigns against measles after the pandemic. But it is important not to wait for new epidemic outbreaks of measles to emerge. "

Pediatricians in Europe call for children to be vaccinated

Europe is not immune to the risk of measles resurgence after the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Vaccine Alliance. The virus travels easily. As proof, 47 European countries out of 53 have already registered a small-scale epidemic in recent years. If vaccination coverage were to decrease, these epidemics could become "massive," warned Seth Berkley, the group's executive director.

In Europe, with confinement, many parents postpone the routine vaccination of their children. In a press release published on March 25, the pediatric unions in France expressed concern. They recalled that vaccination consultations are part of authorized "urgent" care.

While calling for vigilance, the Vaccine Alliance recognizes that the physical distancing measures put in place to stop the new coronavirus could also prevent the massive spread of other infectious diseases.

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