This Weekly Bulletin focuses on public health emergencies occurring in the WHO African region. This week’s articles cover:
Measles in Niger
Humanitarian Crisis in South Sudan
For each of these events, a brief description, followed by public health measures implemented and an interpretation of the situation, is provided.
A table is provided at the end of the bulletin with information on all new and ongoing public health events currently being monitored in the region, as well as recent events that have been controlled and closed.
Niger faces recurring measles outbreaks, affecting multiple health districts each year.
Despite encouraging administrative estimates for routine vaccination coverage, concerns remain about the quality of vaccination activities and data accuracy. In 2023, the first dose of the measles-containing vaccine was estimated at 100%, while the WHO/ UNICEF estimate was only 80%. This disparity highlights the need for more reliable data and improved vaccination efforts. Notably, the ongoing measles outbreak is further complicated by a protracted humanitarian crisis, which places additional strain on an already fragile health system, increasing the demand for healthcare services.