Measles outbreak in Dagahaley Refugee Camp calls for urgent response

The organisation has warned that due to its highly contagious nature, measles could result in severe complications, including pneumonia, malnutrition and death, exacerbated by overcrowded living conditions in the camps.

Doctors Without Borders also known as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Eastern Africa have announced a measles outbreak in the Dagahaley Refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya.

According to MSF, the first suspected case of measles was identified on February 26, 2024, and since then, there have been 100 suspected and 10 confirmed measles cases in the camp.

According to the doctors, the outbreak is a result of thousands of new refugees arriving in the camp.

The doctors noted that the steady rise of newly arrived refugees in the camp since 2022, means that children among the new arrivals are unvaccinated, making them vulnerable and prone to measles outbreaks.

However, to prevent the spread of the disease among patients, medical, logistical and human resource teams from the organisation have set up a separate measles isolation unit in the hospital.

“MSF outreach teams are actively finding cases and carrying out health promotion within the camp, while medical teams have intensified routine vaccinations,” the organisation said.

The organisation also warned that due to its highly contagious nature, measles could result in severe complications, including pneumonia, malnutrition and death, exacerbated by overcrowded living conditions in the camps.

The centre, run by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) hosts about 302,805 registered refugees and asylum seekers in three camps (Dagahaley, Hagadera and Ifo) as of October 31, 2023. Most people flee to Kenya to escape drought, hunger and violence.

The MSF also recently warned of a measles crisis mounting in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria state, as health authorities struggle to overcome a yellow fever outbreak.

They noted that since February, seven deaths among children under five and 460 cases have been recorded from March 24, in three health facilities in Yambio and Nzara counties.

They added that 90 per cent of the children had never been vaccinated against the disease.

“With measles cases on the rise and vaccination coverage alarmingly low, MSF urges health authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO) to launch an immediate vaccination campaign to prevent the disease from spreading further,” the Authority said.

Measles has become a persistent emergency in South Sudan, with recurring outbreaks challenging healthcare systems and endangering communities. More than 12,000 cases have been recorded this year alone.