Sunday October 28, 2018
The government has launched a measles campaign in Mandera County following an outbreak of the disease in the region.
Two people including a child have been reported dead with 313 others said to have been infected since the outbreak was detected in February.
The disease was first detected in areas bordering Somalia and Ethiopia before spreading into the interior of the county.
County Acting Director of health services Mohamed Adawa is blaming low uptake in immunization on the nomadic nature of the communities, low response from the national government and insecurity.Through the Rapid Result Initiative, the county aims to contain the epidemic within the next two months.
The Kenya Red Cross Society, World Health Organization, United
Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund and the Ministry of
Health have partnered with the county government in the five days
measles vaccination campaign in the seven sub-counties of Mandera East,
Mandera West, Mandera North, Lafey, Kutulo, Banisa, and Mandera South.
Since June, the disease has hit Mandera West with 182 cases recorded
mostly in the remote areas, with area medical teams carrying out
intervention measures to reduce further spread of the disease.
Mandera North reported a measles outbreak in July and August recording 28 cases.