By BIBIANE AMBONGO
Kinshasa, 24 June 2014. On June 23, the Government of the DRC, with technical and financial support from UNICEF, the WHO, GAVI and other partners, launched a measles monitoring campaign, in addition to an existing polio monitoring campaign, in the community of Kimbanseke. The campaign is set to run from June 24 to 28, 2014, across the city-province of Kinshasa.
The goal is to vaccinate 2,800,000 children aged 6 months to 10 years against measles, and 1,600,000 children aged 0-59 months against polio. In addition to the campaign, 1,400,00 children aged 6-59 months are receiving vitamin A supplements, and 1,300,000 children aged 12-59 months are undergoing deworming with mebendazole. The campaign will also be used to promote breastfeeding in the hour following childbirth and birth registration in the Civil Registry.
“We invite all parents to bring their children to the sites listed and we are counting on everyone’s participation because vaccination is a child’s right and a parent’s duty,” said Clément Bafida, Vice-Governor of the city-province of Kinshasa, during the launch ceremony.
“Measles can be prevented safely and effectively through the routine vaccination of all children from the age of 9 months. It is also important to note that good vaccination coverage during mass campaigns, and its routine maintenance, helps to reduce the scale of possible future outbreaks in the country,” said Dr. Joseph Waogodo Caboré, the WHO representative in the DRC.
Integrated campaigns
This mass vaccination campaign is part of the implementation of the strategic plan for the eradication of measles in the DRC (2012-2020), which aims to organize a series of quality integrated campaigns across the country in less than one year.
Measles monitoring campaigns and polio vaccinations had already taken place in eight provinces between September 2013 and May 2014: Equateur and Province Orientale, North Kivu and South Kivu, Katanga and Maniema, Kasai Occidental and Kasai Oriental. Today, the city-province of Kinshasa is the target. The series of integrated campaigns will conclude with Bas-Congo and Bandundu, in which mass vaccinations are scheduled for July of 2014. More than 20 million children have already been vaccinated in the first eight provinces and there is already a significant reduction in the number of cases and deaths due to measles in these provinces.
All parents are encouraged to bring their children aged 0 to 10 years to the nearest site to have them vaccinated against these two diseases and to receive vitamin A and deworming.
For Barbara Bentein, the UNICEF representative in the DRC: “This is a great time for public health in the DRC. Vaccination is the most cost effective intervention for preventing numerous diseases and disabilities in children. It is possible to safely vaccinate all children against several diseases. This country, together with its partners, is trying to ensure that our children are well protected so that they may grow and live healthy lives”.
Measles remains one of the most contagious childhood diseases known to cause severe medical complications. The DRC is one of the countries most affected by outbreaks of the measles: between 2011 and 2013, close to 300,000 cases resulting in 5,000 deaths were recorded. Unfortunately, these epidemics have continued into 2014 with close to 20,000 cases and 250 deaths registered across the country, particularly in those provinces where campaigns have not yet been implemented.
A polio-free country
The DRC has not reported a single new case of wild poliovirus (WPS) in two and a half years; the last case of polio was detected in Lusangi (Maniema Province) on December 20, 2011. A very encouraging result hailed by DRC health authorities and their partners. However, the number of inadequately or non-vaccinated children and the silent health zones under surveillance for acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) are reasons to remain vigilant.
It should be noted that after this campaign, parents with children under 11 months will be encouraged to bring their children to the nearest health center in order to complete their routine vaccination schedule.
Joint funding for these monitoring campaigns is provided by the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, GAVI, MRI, UNICEF and the WHO. The partners of the DRC are praising the sustained efforts of the Government to improve the health of the Congolese people in general, and mother and child survival rates in particular, through routine vaccinations.
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Tiekoura Coulibaly, Focal Point IVE WHO, coulibalyti@who.int
Dr. Moïse Désiré Yapi, Measles Surveillance, WHO, yapimo@who.int
Dr. Rija Andriamihantanirina, Immunization Manager, UNICEF, randriamihantanirina@unicef.org
Media Relations:
Eugene Kabambi, Communications & Advocacy, WHO DRC, kabambie@who.int
Bibiane Ambongo, Communications Specialist, UNICEF, bambongo@unicef.org