Afrigather 
- The measles marketing campaign goals to vaccinate greater than 2.7 million kids towards the extremely infectious illness, and is built-in with efforts to ship Vitamin A supplementation and deworming.
- Between January 2022 and 1 February 2023, well being authorities in South Sudan reported an outbreak of measles, with over 4,000 suspected instances and 46 deaths throughout the nation
- The marketing campaign will use a mix of mounted and outreach vaccination websites, with a give attention to reaching below or unvaccinated kids aged between 6-59 months in hard-to-reach areas.
Juba, 25 April 2023 – The Ministry of Well being, South Sudan, in partnership with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF, WHO and different key companions, has launched a nationwide measles vaccination marketing campaign. The marketing campaign goals to vaccinate greater than 2.7 million kids aged 6-59 months towards the extremely infectious illness.
The launch of the measles vaccination marketing campaign highlights South Sudan’s resilience in rolling out immunization campaigns regardless of competing well being priorities together with restoration from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Measles is a extremely contagious illness brought on by a virus and happens seasonally in endemic areas. Amongst malnourished kids and immuno compromised individuals, measles can even trigger critical problems, together with blindness, encephalitis, extreme diarrhea, ear an infection, and pneumonia. Measles outbreaks are significantly harmful in international locations like South Sudan, the place malnutrition and weakened immune programs make kids extra weak.
The nationwide vaccination marketing campaign is a well timed response to the latest outbreaks the nation has been witnessing following pandemic-related declines in measles vaccination protection. In response to WHO figures, between January 2022 and 1 February 2023, well being authorities in South Sudan reported an outbreak of measles, with over 4000-suspected instances and 46 deaths throughout the nation. The nation has carried out a number of outbreak responses campaigns to assist mitigate public well being affect, and this nationwide push is significant as a result of 95% protection is required to curb transmission.
The marketing campaign will use a mix of mounted and outreach vaccination websites, with a give attention to reaching kids in distant areas. It can additionally embrace group mobilization actions to lift consciousness of the significance of measles vaccination. In readiness for the marketing campaign, the Ministry of Well being has labored to construct capacities of group well being staff, not solely to roll out the vaccination but additionally serve to curb vaccine hesitance and improve group consciousness.
“Vaccination is a basis for a Wholesome Inhabitants, Wholesome Nation proper from childhood”, mentioned Hon. Yolanda Awel Deng, South Sudan’s Minister of Well being.
Immunization is among the handiest public well being interventions, serving to to make sure each little one has the chance to develop up wholesome and attain their full potential, and might open the doorway to supply of different important providers. This nationwide measles marketing campaign shall be built-in with Vitamin A and deworming campaigns, serving to ship a number of interventions successfully.
“Vaccinating kids is essentially the most cost-effective strategy to shield them from this lethal illness. What’s so vital and progressive about this strategy is that not solely are we offering this important well being intervention, however we’re additionally making certain kids obtain important diet and different important well being providers,” mentioned Amy LaTrielle, the Director for Fragile and Battle at Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “We’re proud to assist South Sudan’s Ministry of Well being in delivering this important vaccine, integrating rollout with the supply of different vital well being providers, and strengthening the general capability of the nation’s well being system.”
“It is very important vaccinate all kids, enhance their immunity and guarantee their safety towards illnesses like measles. Vaccines save kids’s lives,” mentioned UNICEF South Sudan’s Performing Consultant, is Mr Eric Alain Ategbo. “UNICEF’s assist of this vital marketing campaign is significant to make sure that each little one is spared from this preventable illness. In partnership with the Nationwide Ministry of Well being and different UN companies, we’re dedicated to reaching each a part of the nation and a pair of.7 kids countrywide with this marketing campaign,” she added.
“South Sudan is at the moment dealing with a surge in measles instances. This extremely infectious virus presents with varied signs comparable to fever, cough, sore throat and conjunctivitis”, mentioned Dr Fabian Ndenzako, Performing WHO Consultant in South Sudan. “The nationwide marketing campaign will play a vital position in lowering sickness and deaths brought on by measles”. WHO is dedicated to supporting the Ministry of Well being to realize over 95 p.c protection to enhance herd immunity and finally get rid of this virus from South Sudan, in keeping with the Measles Elimination Purpose.
Whereas the marketing campaign is an important step in the direction of defending South Sudan’s kids from measles, companions proceed efforts to make sure rollout of catch-up initiatives in addition to strengthened and efficient Routine Immunization actions. Companions are additionally eager on integration with COVID-19 Vaccination in addition to strengthening the nation’s well being programs.
The marketing campaign coincides with the 2023 Africa Vaccination Week, which has seen governments, well being stakeholders, and companions decide to work collectively to handle backsliding in childhood vaccinations ensuing from pandemic disruptions, battle, displacement and rising vaccine misinformation.
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Notes to editors
About Ministry of Well being, South Sudan
The Ministry of Well being was established amongst different authorities establishment after the independence of South Sudan on 9 July 2011, to enhance the well being standing of the inhabitants and supply Well being care to all individuals of South Sudan.
The Ministry of Well being contains of variety of Well being system such because the state Ministries of Well being, three instructing hospitals, and 7 state Hospitals e.g. public referral laboratory. There are seventy-nine county Well being departments and over one thousand major Well being care facilities and models.
Web site: moh.gov.ss/about-us.php
Twitter: @MoHsouthsudan
Fb: Ministry of Well being (MoH) South Sudan
About Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private partnership that helps vaccinate half the world’s kids towards among the world’s deadliest illnesses. Since its inception in 2000, Gavi has helped to immunize an entire era – over 981 million kids – and prevented greater than 16.2 million future deaths, serving to to halve little one mortality in 73 lower-income international locations. Gavi additionally performs a key position in enhancing world well being safety by supporting well being programs in addition to funding world stockpiles for Ebola, cholera, meningococcal and yellow fever vaccines and outbreak response actions – in addition to co-convening COVAX, the worldwide effort to make sure COVID-19 vaccines are accessible to international locations of all earnings ranges. After twenty years of progress, Gavi is now targeted on defending the subsequent era, above all of the zero-dose kids who haven’t acquired even a single vaccine shot. The Vaccine Alliance employs progressive finance and the most recent expertise – from drones to biometrics – to save lots of tens of millions extra lives, stop outbreaks earlier than they will unfold and assist international locations on the street to self-sufficiency. Be taught extra at www.gavi.org and join with us on Fb and Twitter.
The Vaccine Alliance brings collectively growing nation and donor governments, the World Well being Group, UNICEF, the World Financial institution, the vaccine trade, technical companies, civil society, the Invoice & Melinda Gates Basis and different personal sector companions. View the complete checklist of donor governments and different main organizations that fund Gavi’s work right here.
About WHO
Based in 1948, WHO is the United Nations company that connects nations, companions and other people to advertise well being, preserve the world secure and serve the weak – so everybody, all over the place can attain the best stage of well being.
WHO leads world efforts to increase common well being protection. We direct and coordinate the world’s response to well being emergencies. And we promote more healthy lives – from being pregnant care by way of outdated age. Our Triple Billion targets define an formidable plan for the world to realize good well being for all utilizing science-based insurance policies and programmes. Be taught extra about WHO South Sudan at https://www.afro.who.int/countries/south-sudan and join with us on Fb and Twitter.
About UNICEF
UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of each little one, in all the things we do. Along with our companions, we work in 190 international locations and territories to translate that dedication into sensible motion, focusing particular effort on reaching essentially the most weak and excluded kids, to the good thing about all kids, all over the place
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MEDIA CONTACTS
Ministry of Well being
Republic of South Sudan
Mary Denis Obat
+211 924 887 006
mobat43 [at] gmail.com
Gavi
Collins Mwai
+250787836638
cmwai [at] gavi.org
Meg Sharafudeen
+41 79 711 55 54
msharafudeen [at] gavi.org
WHO South Sudan
Jemila M. Ebrahim
+211921647859
ebrahimj [at] who.int
UNICEF
Richard Ruati
UNICEF South Sudan,
+211 92 135 9578
rruati [at] unicef.org
