Yellow fever vaccination campaign moving along

Issa Mohamed Moussa Ahmed, Central Darfur’s Minister of Health, revealed the emergence of two new cases of yellow fever as well as the recovery of five yellow fever patients in the locality of Zalingei on Wednesday, 4 December. The minister informed Radio Dabanga that the incidence of yellow fever in the state has increased from 387 to 394 and stated that no new deaths have been reported, according to the latest statistics issued on Tuesday.He stated that the vaccination campaign has been completed in the localities of Mukjar and Bendessey and is currently being carried out in the remaining localities. The minister added that the campaign is scheduled to be completed by 6 December. Moussa Ahmed said that the federal health ministry informed him about the arrival of the vaccines to the areas not included in the first phase of the campaign. He added to Radio Dabanga from Zalingei that the second phase is considered to be equally important, ‘according to the inventory of the cases’. West DarfurIn West Darfur, Ishaq Ahmed Yaqoub, the state’s Minister of Health announced that the yellow fever vaccination campaign in the locality of Foro Baranga will start next Thursday or Sunday. The minister attributed the delay in the start of the campaign to the training of the teams supervising the campaign in the locality. Additionally, he announced the completion of the first phase of the campaign in the four localities of El-Geneina, Mornei, Kornek and Habila. He claimed that 90% of all residents have been vaccinated, while the ministry set the target at 80%. Moreover, the minister stated they received several complaints from the localities of Sirba and Jebel Moun concerning the emergence of new yellow fever cases. He emphasized that the ministry is currently investigating the complaints and examining the reported cases. Also, Yaqoub announced an increase in the incidence of the disease to 204 cases and added that the death toll remains at 49.