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Tackling the measles outbreaks with vaccination: Voices from Western Bahl El Ghazal State
Authors: Stanslaus B. Kiir, Bob O. Amodan, Joseph Philip Ugak, Eugino Longar, Eric Rurangwa and Mutale Nsakashalo
Introduction
The World Health Organization targets to globally eliminate measles. However, recurring outbreaks persist due to low vac- cine uptake, poor surveillance, and limited healthcare capacity still occur in Western Bahr El Ghazal State and South Sudan at large. To address this, the Ministry of Health and global partners launched a reactive measles vaccination follow-up cam- paign from 28th April to 4th May 2025, targeting 117,840 children in Western Bahr El Ghazal State with over USD 38,000. The campaign involved extensive coordination, including de- ployment of health teams and community engagement to combat vaccine hesitancy.
This edition of the WHO Voices from the field provides a com- prehensive overview of the preparedness, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation activities undertaken during the Measles Follow Up (MFUP) campaign. It highlights key achievements, challenges faced, and strategic recommendations for strengthening future measles control efforts in Wau, Raga, and Jur River, the three administrative counties of Western Bahr El Ghazal State, which has an estimated population of 620,211