From Timothy Olanrewaju Maiduguri
No fewer than 1,158 children have been affected by measles in the northeast Borno State between January and early April.
Medical volunteer group, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) also known as Doctors Without Borders, disclosed this in an update released to media by its Maiduguri office on Friday
“So far a total of 1158 children with measles have been received in Gwange paediatric hospital in Maiduguri from 1st January to 03rd April 2021,” the group revealed
It said 58 percent of the affected children were from Zabarmari, a small town located about 20 km from Maiduguri, the Borno capital.
MSF said it strengthened the hospitalization capacity at Gwange and Fori health facilities in Maiduguri by increasing the number of beds from 65 to 105 especially in Gwange.
The group said it also launched activities in partnership with the health authorities in the town of Zabarmari, a community with over 45,000 people including displaced persons.
MSF Head of Mission, David Thérond, said number of child patients with measles have stepped up since the first case was recorded on December 3, 2020.
“The first child affected by measles was admitted in Gwange Paediatric hospital on 3rd December, 2020 and the number of patients has been increasing since then in Maiduguri hospitals”, Thérond said.
He canvassed for vaccination campaign to halt the spread of the infectious disease.
Borno has experienced incidents of measles epidemic for over a decade. During the measles outbreak in 2019, eight local government areas of Borno state were affected
Medical experts described measles is a contagious disease that causes fever and red spot on the skin.