Coronavirus in Central Africa: Implications for Measles Vaccination

Management of measles at Bossangoa hospital, in the Central African Republic, March 8, 2020. RFI / Charlotte Cosset

Text by: RFI Follow

According to the World Health Organization, 117 million children worldwide could miss their measles vaccination in countries focused on fighting the spread of coronavirus. In the Central African Republic, the measles epidemic was declared by the government at the end of January. The authorities intended, via its vaccination campaigns, to go from 50% of the vaccinated population to 80% at the end of June, but the arrival of the coronavirus hinders the process.

Publicity

Read more

Covid-19 greatly affects operations against measles. Unfortunately, in the country, it is really a balance between risks and benefits, to protect not only the population, but also the nursing staff. Measles is deadly and can have huge consequences if you are a child. So necessarily, if we do not do the vaccination campaigns there will be very significant deaths. Then, to strengthen the logistical means of supplying vaccines with cold chain means, means of transport. We are talking about motorcycles, there are many places that are not accessible by car. It really takes a lot of logistics to come up with a good vaccination campaign.

Caroline Harvey Blouin, medical manager of the emergency team of Doctors Without Borders in the Central African Republic

François Mazet

Newsletter With the Daily Newsletter, find the headlines directly in your mailbox

Subscribe

Follow all international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_FR

  • Coronavirus
  • Health and Medicine
  • Central africa

On the same subject

Central African Republic: a reception center under construction to welcome Covid-19 patients

Reportage

Central African Republic: WHO a major player in the fight against coronavirus

Central African Republic: concerns over the management of coronavirus aid funds