Vaccination campaign to eradicate measles in Khartoum state

The Ministry of Health of Khartoum state reports that 142 children have suffered from measles in the state. The announcement of cases of measles in the capital coincides with the start of the campaign to escalate the eradication of measles, polio, and vitamin A deficiency in Khartoum state from July 22-31.

The ministry has acknowledged the existence of significant challenges which delayed the campaign for four months, including political events in the country, as well as difficult access to children from the age of three years in the home.

The head of the immunisation department of the Ministry of Health, Jamal Osman, said that the state recorded the emergence of 142 cases of measles distributed in the localities, pointing out that this campaign aims to vaccinate 2.2 million children against measles and about 1.24 million children against poliomyelitis, immunisation of over a million children with vitamin A deficiency.

Chikungunya

The Undersecretary of the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Suleiman Abdeljabbar, recognised the emergence of chikungunya fever again in Red Sea state and confirmed the existence of a number of cases of measles in the capital and various states.

Chikungunya is characterised by an abrupt onset of fever, frequently accompanied by joint pain. Most patients recover fully within weeks. Serious complications are not common, but the disease can contribute to the cause of death in malnourished and older people.

‘Acute watery diarrhoea’

Dr Abdeljabbar also acknowledged the emergence of cases of ‘acute watery diarrhoea’ (which is often caused by cholera) among children in a non-epidemic form.

Dengue

He pointed to the prevalence of suspected dengue haemorrhagic fever in an administrative unit in Atbara area.

The dengue virus is carried by the same mosquitoes that carry chikungunya. The infection causes a flu-like illness, and occasionally develops into a potentially lethal complication called severe dengue (also known as Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever).

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