Published By Olukayode Idowu
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) popularly called Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and Zamfara State Government have vaccinated more than 148,000 children against measles in Zamfara State.
A statement on Thursday by MSF, said it has supported the health authorities of Zamfara state to successfully conduct a mass measles vaccination campaign to reach children aged six months to five years.
The statement revealed that the exercise began following the detection of cases of the virus in the North West State.
The statement read: “MSF began a mass vaccination campaign in April 2022 in the local government areas (LGA) of Anka, Shinkafi and Zurmi, and vaccinated 148,150 children in 24 wards of the three LGAs. Out of the total children reached, a total of 8,847 children were vaccinated in Anka, 97,837 in Zurmi and 41,466 in Shinkafi.
The statement quoted the MSF head of mission in Nigeria, Ahsan Abbasi to have said: “Routine immunizations are critical; they protect children and save lives. We are pleased to assist the populations in need and to support the health authorities in dealing with measles and other outbreaks in the state,” adding that: “Measles is extremely contagious and those most at-risk of contracting the disease are under- or unimmunised people, especially children aged under five. It also has a severe impact on the nutritional status of children. Areas of conflict or high-density settings – such as refugee or IDP camps – with low routine immunisation coverage and weak local health systems often see epidemics.”
The statement also revealed that in Anka LGA, MSF also carried out a reactive vaccination campaign for meningitis after registering 44 suspected cases of the disease from January to April 2022. Due to an influx of internally displaced people (IDPs), the population lives in overcrowded households and in close proximity, resulting in an increased risk of the outbreak.
According to the statement, MSF decided to add meningitis to its vaccination campaign in Anka and vaccinated 10,972 children within Anka town, targeting three wards.
Alongside the vaccination campaigns, MSF teams also conducted mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) screenings to identify malnourished children under 5 in Anka, Zurmi and Shinkafi. A total of 8,847 children were screened for malnutrition in Anka, 41,453 in Shinkafi and 92,054 in Zurmi. In six wards of Shinkafi and Zurmi, high rates of malnutrition were noted. Therefore, MSF immediately decided to initiate an emergency nutrition response in the area, the statement revealed.
The MSF Head of Mission assured that: “We are committed to assist the population and to support the local authorities in responding to any disease outbreaks or health emergencies,” while lamenting that: “With increasing insecurity and influx of IDPs, the healthcare needs in Zamfara state are dire and often unmet. Children are particularly affected by the limited access to primary healthcare, especially with regards to nutrition and preventable childhood diseases such as measles, waterborne diseases and meningitis.”
The statement said alongside the emergency response, MSF continues its regular activities in Zamfara state. In Anka since 2010, MSF has been running a 130-bed children’s hospital, including an inpatient therapeutic feeding centre, intensive care unit and isolation ward. MSF is also offering outpatient consultations including for malnutrition, sexual and reproductive health, SGBV and mental health care for IDPs and host communities. Outpatient centres are also being run in Bukkuyum and Talata Mafara LGA since 2019.
The statement recalled that MSF started nutrition activities late in 2019, in support to MoH in Shinkafi and Zurmi LGAs, running two inpatient and eight outpatient therapeutic centres, and extended this intervention to general and intensive paediatric care, maternity, care for victims of sexual and gender-based violence and trauma care, and also provides mental health and psycho-social support to affected people, health promotion and community engagement, and makes referrals to tertiary-level for specialized care.