Measles claims 24 under-5, zero-dose children in Zamfara – MSF

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has confirmed that not fewer than 24 children under 5 have lost their lives to measles outbreak in Zamfara this year.

The organisation however lamented that most of the children who died were under five years old were zero-dose children, who had never been vaccinated.

Consequently, MSF, in collaboration with Zamfara State Ministry of Health and Zurmi Local Government Area (LGA) has launched an emergency measles vaccination campaign in Zurmi LGA, following an increase in the number of children suffering from the disease.

According to MSF in a statement, the six-day campaign, which began on Tuesday, 8 July, is targeting children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years, which goal is to stop the spread of measles quickly and preventing more deaths.

During the campaign, MSF teams will also check children for signs of malnutrition using a simple arm measurement (MUAC) and refer those who are undernourished to nearby health centres for treatment.

As of early May, more than 1,600 suspected measles cases have been reported across all 11 wards in Zurmi LGA, a number of cases which was much higher than usual and has passed the level considered an epidemic.

Many of the children who became seriously ill had other health problems like eye infections, malaria, and poor nutrition, which made their condition worse as the death rate is currently 1.2%.

To reach as many children as possible, MSF is using both fixed vaccination sites and mobile teams that can travel to remote and hard-to-reach areas. The aim is to vaccinate at least 95% of children in the target age group to protect the wider community and stop the outbreak.

A previous vaccination campaign in June 2024 only reached 59% of children due to a shortage of vaccines and security issues in some areas.

The current outbreak is worst in communities like Zurmi town, Dauran Birnin Tsaba, Mayasa Kuturu, and Rukudawa, where regular vaccination services are limited and access to healthcare is difficult.

“Children in Zurmi are facing a double crisis of disease and hunger. We are seeing a sharp rise in measles cases, along with high levels of malnutrition, which makes children even more vulnerable,” said Abdullahi Mohamed Ali, MSF’s Head of Mission.

A nutrition screening carried out in June 2024 showed that more than one in four children in Zurmi were undernourished, and over 4% were severely malnourished, well above emergency levels set by the World Health Organisation.

The MSF-run treatment centre at Zurmi General Hospital continues to receive more and more children with serious nutrition-related complications.

MSF is therefore calling on all partners and health authorities to support this urgent response and help ensure that every child in Zurmi gets the care and protection they need.

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