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Measles vaccination campaign in Yida refugees camp
There are around 35,000 children between 0 and 15 years in Yida. The aim is to vaccinate 90 per cent of them against measles and polio, in an effort to stem the ongoing measles epidemic and protect the population from future outbreaks.
© Karin Ekholm/MSF

Measles vaccination in Yida refugee camp

There are around 35,000 children between 0 and 15 years in Yida. The aim is to vaccinate 90 per cent of them against measles and polio, in an effort to stem the ongoing measles epidemic and protect the population from future outbreaks.
© Karin Ekholm/MSF

At the end of November MSF teams in Yida began to see an increase in measles cases in Yida. Measles is a highly contagious viral disease, which affects mostly children. There is no treatment against measles and only the complications can be treated. For malnourished children and people with reduced immunity, measles can cause serious complications, including blindness, encephalitis, severe diarrhoea, ear infection and pneumonia.

MSF has launched a vaccination campaign to stem the outbreak and increase the immunization coverage in the population to protect against future outbreaks. In Yida the team aims to vaccinate 90% of the 34,000 children in the camp and the host community. More than 100 staff has been recruited to perform the 5 days of vaccination campaign.

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South Sudan
Project Update 13 February 2015