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Rumbidzayi Zinyuke

Senior Reporter

A MASS vaccination campaign has been launched in Mutasa District of Manicaland Province by the Ministry of Health and Child Care following an outbreak of measles, that has resulted in 14 deaths and 72 cases. 

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory tract viral infection commonly found in children and is spread through sneezing, coughing and contact. 

Symptoms start with a cough, fever, followed by a rash on the skin. The risk of developing severe measles or dying from complications of measles is high in unvaccinated children. Zimbabwe has been offering the measles vaccine for years, to children at nine months as part of the routine immunisation schedule. 

However, some children do not receive the vaccine owing to various reasons, chief among them religious beliefs that prohibit vaccination. Ministry of Health and Child Care spokesperson Mr Donald Mujiri said of the 72 confirmed cases of measles in Mutasa, only nine had been vaccinated. 

“In order to control this outbreak, MOHCC (the Ministry of Health and Child Care) has started a mass vaccination campaign in Mutasa District, targeting the 6 months to 15 years’ age group regardless of their vaccination status. Health workers are carrying out an intensive door to door education campaign against this disease,” he said. He said the World Health Organisation (WHO) had also been notified of the outbreak as a requirement. “All provinces are being encouraged to be on high alert and to report any suspected measles to the nearest health facility. Those who attended church gatherings especially in Manicaland during this period should be on the look-out for suspected measles among their children,” said Mr Mujiri.

He assured the nation that the situation was under control adding that there was no need to panic. 

Zimbabwe experienced its worst outbreak of measles in 2010, which resulted in over 10 000 confirmed cases and over 500 deaths. 

Globally, measles cases have been increasing with almost 17,338 measles cases being reported worldwide in January and February 2022, compared to 9,665 during the first two months of 2021, a 79 percent rise. 

According to the WHO and Unicef, the worrying rise in cases could trigger larger outbreaks. 

“Measles is more than a dangerous and potentially deadly disease. It is also an early indication that there are gaps in our global immunisation coverage, gaps vulnerable children cannot afford. 

“It is encouraging that people in many communities are beginning to feel protected enough from Covid-19 to return to more social activities. But doing so in places where children are not receiving routine vaccination creates the perfect storm for the spread of a disease like measles,” said Unicef executive director Catherine Russell.