Unicef to vaccinate millions of Sudanese against measles

01/04/2015 22:33

Unicef has ordered 9.6 million doses of measles vaccines to support the Sudanese Ministry of Health in combating the current measles outbreak in the country.
The UN Children’s Rights and Emergency Relief Organisation will conduct a mass immunisation campaign, in cooperation with the Health Ministry, targeting 7.9 million children from 9 months to 15 years in 26 affected and 70 high-risk localities.

Unicef has ordered 9.6 million doses of measles vaccines to support the Sudanese Ministry of Health in combating the current measles outbreak in the country.

The UN Children’s Rights and Emergency Relief Organisation will conduct a mass immunisation campaign, in cooperation with the Health Ministry, targeting 7.9 million children from 9 months to 15 years in 26 affected and 70 high-risk localities.

The first batch of more than 2 million doses arrived at Khartoum National Airport on Tuesday, Unicef Sudan reported in a press release today.

During the past three months, measles has spread across 29 localities in 16 of Sudan’s 18 states. By 26 March, confirmed measles cases numbered 1,120.

The most affected state is Kassala (353 cases, 2 deaths) followed by Red Sea (205 cases, 3 deaths), and North Darfur (140 cases, 12 deaths), according to Unicef.