Measles Takes its Toll in Somalia

[Drkheyre]

Measles Takes its Toll in Somalia

Measles is sweeping unchecked through parts of southern Somalia. The disease is highly contagious and unvaccinated children are at great risk, especially if they are also malnourished. The war in southern Somalia is a key factor contributing to ongoing widespread malnutrition, low vaccination coverage and lack of access to healthcare services. All of these factors aggravate the spread and severity of
diseases like measles. In some MSF programmes measles cases have sharply increased in recent days and weeks, many of them in severe condition.

“Over the last weeks, we diagnosed and treated over 300 patients for measles – mainly children - in the towns of Haramka and Marere in Lower Juba Valley,” said Silvia Colona, MSF’s Project Coordinator for South Somalia. “We also set up a measles-treatment unit the city of Kismayo last week, and it filled up immediately with critically ill children.”

Left untreated measles is often deadly, especially for young children, but with adequate medical care most survive. “I knew this was measles,” said one mother who brought her child to the MSF measles treatment center in Kismayo, “but I did not know where to treat my
child until my relatives informed me of this measles camp.”

Unfortunately, lack of awareness and insecurity are probably preventing many others from getting treated. “We think this is only the tip of the iceberg,” added Ms. Colona, “and that there are many more people with measles who can’t make it to our facilities.”

Measles is easily and cheaply prevented with vaccination, but vaccination coverage is very low in most parts of Somalia. Logistical and security challenges are not the only reason for this. MSF still awaits permission from authorities in several locations to conduct measles vaccination campaigns. If permission is granted, vaccination would become a high priority for MSF and would prevent
numerous unnecessary deaths.

Unfortunately the killing of two MSF staff at the end of last year in Mogadishu has caused a reduction in activities in that city. Further, two MSF staff kidnapped in Northern Kenya in October have not yet been released. Activities in the refugee camps of Dadaab have been reduced as a consequence. MSF calls on
all Somalis – the diaspora, community leaders and especially the authorities in control of areas in Somalia where our kidnapped colleagues are being detained – to do everything possible to facilitate their safe release.
MSF remains steadfastly dedicated to providing medical and humanitarian assistance to Somalis inside and outside Somalia. In the period from May to December 2011, MSF treated over 95,000 patients for malnutrition, and treated over 6,000 and vaccinated nearly 235,000 children against measles in areas where it is allowed and in the refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia. In its various healthcare
structures MSF provided almost 540,000 medical consultations.