Measles claims 5,000 lives in Congo, says UNICEF

CONGO – Not less than 5,000 lives have been lost to measles in Congo Democratic Republic, United Nations Children Education Funds(UNICEF) has said. According to UNICEF 90 percent of those dead were children under the age of 5.

“While the Ebola outbreak, which has claimed more than 2,000 lives in the Eastern DRC, has commanded sustained international attention, measles, which has claimed more than twice as many lives, continues to be under reported”, said Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF Representative in the DRC.

According to UNICEF, violence and insecurity, lack of access to healthcare, vaccine and medical kit in the worst-affected areas, have rendered thousands of children unprotected and hindered efforts to stop rapid spread of the dicease. 

“Cultural beliefs and traditional healthcare practices also often get in the way of vaccinating children against measles and treating those with symptoms”, he explained.

While the Ebola outbreak, which has claimed more than 2,000 lives in the Eastern DRC, has commanded sustained international attention, measles, which has claimed more than twice as many lives, continues to be underreported.

“Violence and insecurity, lack of access to healthcare and shortages of vaccines and medical kits in the worst-affected areas have meant that thousands of children have missed out on vaccinations, with potentially deadly consequences. Cultural beliefs and traditional healthcare practices also often get in the way of vaccinating children against measles and treating those with symptoms.

“Despite the many challenges, we have the tools and the knowledge to prevent measles with a safe, effective and affordable vaccine. The key is to reach every single child, no matter where they are.

“UNICEF and partners are conducting measles vaccination campaigns in the worst-affected areas and supplying clinics with medicine to treat symptoms. So far, we have distributed 1,317 medical measles kits – containing antibiotics, rehydration salts, Vitamin A and other medicines – to affected health zones to treat children with complications.

“Yet these measures can only ever be a short-term solution, as significant investment in strengthening DRC’s national vaccination programme and wider health care systems is crucial to guarantee the health and wellbeing of the country’s children.”