The Sierra Leonean government has launched a measles-rubella vaccination campaign to reach 1.3 million children across the country.
In partnership with various organizations, the week-long campaign runs from June 28 to July 4, 2024, targeting children aged 9 to 59 months in all 16 districts.
Desmond Maada Kangbai, Program Manager of the Expanded Program of Immunisation (EPI), emphasized the campaign’s importance due to recent measles outbreaks worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He noted the goal is to achieve 95% coverage nationwide within seven days.
Dr. Innocent Nuwagira, representing the World Health Organization, commended Sierra Leone’s dedication to child health through routine immunization, underscoring the campaign’s role in achieving universal coverage and preventing future outbreaks.
From January to June 2024, Sierra Leone reported around 300 measles cases.