September 13, 2019
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| Pediatric Wards at Nyankunde Hospital |
Many of you are aware that DRC is experiencing an Ebola epidemic, but you may not have realized that the Congo (and the world) is also experiencing a measles epidemic on a larger scale. This past month the number of deaths from measles has surpassed the number of deaths from Ebola this year alone. There have been over 3200 deaths and most of them are children! The measles outbreak is the world’s largest and fastest moving outbreak-with 165,203 cases so far this year. Since June the government has declared the measles outbreak with emergency vaccination already reaching >3,4million children.
I don't usually talk much about public health, but I really feel it is important. Measles is not just a problem in Congo. There were more measles cases reported worldwide in the first 6months of 2019 than any other year since 2016. There have been 364,808 cases worldwide by July 31st. It is one of the most infectious diseases
One measles case is considered a public health emergency by world standards. In April, New York City declared a public health emergency due to the presence of measles. It is highly infectious and the consequences can be catastrophic if the brain is affected. Children who are immunocompromised or malnourished have a high risk of contracting the disease. Herd immunity occurs if 95% of the population is vaccinated. This article points out that in DRC immunization coverage was only 57% in 2018. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/measles-has-now-killed-people-drc-ebola-almost-children/
This is all fine and good. Measles is a problem. But now this disease affects my medical practice and could even affect my family. As I looked through hospital records today, I found 12 cases in our hospital since July 2019 (and a few in the months preceding this). This is just in our hospital and it probably ties the incidence of the number of cases of treated meningitis. The World Health Organization is following the situation closely and has prioritized our health zone as a priority for vaccination this month, and upcoming months.
The initial focus here has been vaccinating displaced peoples, protecting an estimated 27,000 children living in crowded camps in and around Bunia (an hour from us). There are an estimated 35 refugee camps like this across our province. It is hard to imagine the living conditions and scale of the problem from reading the news. It is under conditions like this that measles spreads, as do other diseases.
I am hoping to bridge two very different parts of the world. Measles is a worldwide problem. It occurs in parts of the world where the vaccine is readily available, but it really shouldn’t be there. It is more understandable in parts of the Congo which are largely unreachable by road and where cold chain is hard to maintain. Our health zone is working hard to eradicate it here and protect our vulnerable children. May God help us and bless the work of our health zone.
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