The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday, commenced a two-week mass vaccination exercise at the Internally Displaced People (IDP)’s camps in conflict-affected Northeast states.

This exercise is part of the campaign to protect 4,766,214 children against measles. It said the campaign is targeting all children between six months and 10 years in accessible areas in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, Today news reports.

According to a WHO representative in Nigeria, Wondimagegnehu Alemu, the campaign is an emergency intervention aimed at protecting over four million children against a highly contagious and occasionally deadly disease.

“Massive disruption to health services such as High insecurity, difficult terrain and lack of health workers, medicines, equipment and basic amenities such as safe water in conflict-affected areas for many years has deprived these children of essential childhood vaccinations. In addition, many of them have severe malnutrition, making them extremely vulnerable to serious complications and death from measles,” he said.

Humanitarian crisis initiated by conflicts in Borno State alone has brought about over 1.4 million IDPs living in more than 100 camps. While one third of over 700 health facilities in the state was completely destroyed, the remaining are not functioning at all.

WHO-established Early Warning, Alert and Response System (EWARS) from early September to December 18, 2016, reported over 1500 suspected cases of measles in Borno State.

With the levels of malnutrition in some populations in the state reaching 20%, children are at risk of contracting diseases like measles, malaria, respiratory infections and diarrhea.

“WHO’s top priority is to help save lives and prevent sickness among the estimated 6 million people who need health assistance in this crisis,” he added.

Anita Fatunji