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MEASLES - KENYA: (NAIROBI), REFUGEES
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A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Mon 18 Feb 2008
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
(OCHA), ReliefWeb, African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF)
report [edited]
<http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/RMOI-7BY2YT?OpenDocument>
A measles outbreak is feared in the Kibera slum in the heart of Nairobi
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At least 12 suspected cases of measles -- a most contagious disease
that can also become a leading cause of death especially in children
already suffering other infections -- were reported at the weekend
[16-17 Feb 2008] by AMREF's mobile clinic team in Kibera. A week
earlier, 3 other cases had been diagnosed by another AMREF medical
team at the Highrise Estate camp for persons displaced from Kibera in
the post-election violence in Kenya.
AMREF is working with the Kenya Medical Research Institute following
the clinical diagnosis of measles. A measles outbreak is expected to
touch off an immunisation drive in the extensive slum through
combined efforts by the Ministry of Health and other health-related
organisations and UN agencies. Certainly, the post-election strife
has set the stage for outbreak of diseases such as measles. In areas
experiencing or recovering from war, civil strife, or natural
disasters, infection rates have been known to soar because of the
poor state of infrastructure and health services, which interrupt
routine immunisation. Also, overcrowding in camps for refugees and
internally displaced people greatly increases the risk of infection.
During a recent clinic session in Kibera, AMREF found that the
majority of nearly 800 patients suffered respiratory infections,
followed by rheumatism and joint pains, intestinal worms, diarrhoeal
diseases, and skin infections in that order.
AMREF's Dr Khisa Wakasiaka said AMREF treated 306 children and 438
adults in one day. Notably, Dr Khisa said, women had borne the brunt
of the violence and suffered far greater trauma compared with their
male counterparts. They were victims of sexual violence and witnessed
their kith and kin being killed or brutalised. Many had lost property
to looters and arsonists.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[A map of Kenya is available at
<http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/kenya.pdf>, and a
map of Nairobi (the capital city) showing the location of Kibera,
reputed to be Africa's largest slum, can be found at
<http://www.maplandia.com/kenya/nairobi/kibera/>.
Kenya has achieved considerable success in the elimination of measles
infection through development of a programme of comprehensive
vaccination (see ProMED-mail Measles - Kenya: 2002-2007 update
20070921.3137). In the past problems have arisen by influx of
refugees from outside the country. Now Kenya has to deal with the
consequence of disruption of the vaccination programme by internal
unrest, which may be a more intractable problem. - Mod.CP]
[see also:
2007
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Measles - Kenya: 2002-2007 update 20070921.3137
2005
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Measles, nosocomial - Kenya (Nairobi) 20051231.3718
Measles, refugee children - Kenya (Nairobi) 20051027.3131]
...................................cp/mj/mpp
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