Over 50000 children to get free measles vaccination in Kismayo

 54,000 children under 10, are expected to get free measles vaccination in Kismaayo town southern Somalia following a serious outbreak of measles, UN’s children agency said on Saturday.

704 measles cases have been officially recorded at Kismayo General Hospital, 302 of which are children under five in this week.

Many of the children, suspected to be suffering from measles, are sleeping on the floor of Kismayo General Hospital. Most were not vaccinated against measles although there are 16 free vaccination posts in Kismayo.

In a statement issued on Saturday, UNICEF said it supported the swift delivery of 55,000 doses of measles vaccine to Kismayo along with Vitamin A supplementation to boost immunity.

“Measles is one of the most deadly vaccine-preventable diseases but sadly it is far from being the only one in Somalia,” said Jeremy Hopkins, UNICEF Somalia’s Representative. “We are most grateful to our donors, but we need increased support to ensure we have nationwide immunisation coverage and engagement with local communities to ensure every child is fully vaccinated.”

In Somalia, measles is a major cause of death among children – but it can be effectively prevented with a simple vaccine.

Measles is a key indicator of the strength of a country’s immunisation systems and Somalia has one of the lowest immunization rates in the world.

It is a highly contagious viral disease and a leading cause of death among young children in Somalia.