In South Sudan's Western Equatoria state, a severe measles crisis is unfolding concurrently with health authorities' efforts to contain an outbreak of yellow fever.

A measles crisis is escalating in Western Equatoria state, South Sudan, amid efforts to contain a yellow fever outbreak. Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reports over 12,000 measles cases countrywide this year.

MSF's Zakaria Mwatia stated, "Initially aiding the yellow fever response, we were confronted with a surge in measles cases," with over 460 cases seen in a week. MSF had to increase bed capacity in some facilities.

Since February, 7 under-five children have died from measles, with 90% of cases in unvaccinated children.

The international medical organization is now urging health authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO) to launch an immediate vaccination campaign to prevent the disease from spreading further.

Victoria John, the mother of one-and-a-half-year-old Mark Emmanuel suffering from measles, shared her experience: "When my child fell sick, he had high fever, diarrhea, and cough. Despite giving him Paracetamol at home, there was no improvement. We then brought him to the MSF facility where he received treatment for three days. If I hadn’t come to the facility, I know my child would have died."

However, this is not an isolated event. Measles has become a persistent emergency in South Sudan, with recurring outbreaks straining the fledgling healthcare system and endangering communities.

With over 12,000 cases recorded this year alone, immediate action is crucial.

MSF medical teams are not only operating within facilities but also venturing into communities to identify children with measles symptoms and refer them to health facilities.

The organization highlighted that 20% of children treated for measles were over the age of five, underscoring the necessity for a reactive vaccination campaign to target this older group who missed measles vaccinations under the existing expanded immunization program (EPI).

The measles outbreak compounds the challenges for a region still grappling with yellow fever, marked by the fourth outbreak in just six years declared by health authorities in December 2023.

By mid-March, 81 cases of yellow fever were identified, with three confirmed cases and six deaths recorded. South Sudan's Ministry of Health, in collaboration with WHO, immunized approximately 357,000 people through a massive campaign across three counties in Western Equatoria state, resulting in a notable reduction in suspected and confirmed cases. Experts attribute this decline to the effectiveness of mass vaccination campaigns.

"Large-scale vaccination campaigns are crucial, both in Western Equatoria state and Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, where current measles outbreaks persist, to halt further disease spread and avert future outbreaks. South Sudan’s fragile health system cannot sustain recurrent outbreaks," emphasized MSF's Zakaria Mwatia.

Given the significant health risks posed by measles and yellow fever, enhancing community awareness and implementing additional preventive measures are essential for containment.

"It is imperative that the Ministry of Health and other health organizations, including WHO, intensify efforts to expand vaccination coverage nationwide, particularly in areas prone to disease outbreaks," stressed MSF head of mission Zakaria Mwatia.