Measles vaccination campaign underway in Aweil East, Aweil South counties

Health officials in South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el Ghazal State have launched a weeklong measles vaccination campaign in Aweil East and Aweil South counties.

Health officials in South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el Ghazal State have launched a weeklong measles vaccination campaign in Aweil East and Aweil South counties.

The vaccination, which started on Tuesday, is expected to conclude on 22 August.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Friday, Aleu Pioth Akot, the Director-General at the state Ministry of Health, said the campaign is progressing well in the two counties, targeting children between the ages of six months and five years old.

He revealed that a similar exercise had already been conducted in Aweil Center, Aweil North and Aweil West Counties.  

“The vaccination campaign is going well and I am now in the field, Aweil South County. Similar campaigns were conducted previously in Aweil West, Aweil North Counties by MSF and Aweil Center County campaign was facilitated by the International Organization on Migration (IOM),” he added.

Aweil East County Health Director Dr Riing Yak said the ongoing vaccination targets 113,000 children in the area.

 “Yes, there is an ongoing measles vaccination campaign which started on Tuesday and concludes by next Tuesday, which is one week. Targeted children are six months and five years, and the total targeted number is 113,000 across the county,” Yak said.