John Campbell

Africa in Transition

Campbell tracks political and security developments across sub-Saharan Africa.

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Showing posts for "Polio"

Polio and Measles in Nigeria

by John Campbell
Local health workers carry vaccination kits at a distribution centre ahead of the start of a nationwide polio immunization campaign on Wednesday, in Lagos February 21, 2011. (Akintunde Akinleye/Courtesy Reuters) Local health workers carry vaccination kits at a distribution centre ahead of the start of a nationwide polio immunization campaign on Wednesday, in Lagos February 21, 2011. (Akintunde Akinleye/Courtesy Reuters)

Vaccination against polio and measles is opposed by many conservative Islamic elements in northern Nigeria. A consequence is that polio remains endemic; there were 122 cases in 2012, over half of the global total. A measles outbreak in northern Nigeria earlier this year killed thirty-six children and infected over 4,000 between February 16 and March 9. Health officials say this is a direct result of parents refusing to vaccinate their children. While popular opposition to vaccination has many roots, they are primarily political and social in nature. Read more »

Murder of Medical Personnel Sets Back Polio Immunization in Northern Nigeria

by John Campbell
A health worker immunises a four-year-old boy at Ilashe island, 25 km (15 miles) from the Nigerian capital Lagos, May 16, 2005. Nigeria has launched the third round of the National Immunization Campaigns this year in hopes of eradicating polio. George Esiri/Courtesy REUTERS A health worker immunises a four-year-old boy at Ilashe island, 25 km (15 miles) from the Nigerian capital Lagos, May 16, 2005. Nigeria has launched the third round of the National Immunization Campaigns this year in hopes of eradicating polio. George Esiri/Courtesy REUTERS

On February 8, unidentified gunmen killed four health workers at a site in Kano state and injured three others, according to the media.  In what may have been part of a coordinated attack, at about the same time a separate set of gunmen killed an additional five health workers at another site. The health workers were all involved in a polio vaccination campaign. In a third incident in the same time frame, gunmen killed three foreign medical doctors in Yobe state. One physician was beheaded, and all three had machete wounds. The three medical doctors were identified as North Koreans living in Yobe as part of a state-sponsored technical exchange. Press reports do not indicate whether the three were also involved in the polio immunization campaign. In the aftermath of these killings, the inspector general of police has ordered “special security” for those involved in the polio immunization campaign. Read more »

Disease Cannot Be Contained on One Continent

by John Campbell
A doctor works in a laboratory on collected samples of the Ebola virus at the Centre for Disease Control in Entebbe 02/08/2012. (Edward Echwalu/Courtesy Reuters) A doctor works in a laboratory on collected samples of the Ebola virus at the Centre for Disease Control in Entebbe 02/08/2012. (Edward Echwalu/Courtesy Reuters)

There is a yellow fever epidemic in Sudan, characterized by the press as the world’s worst in twenty years. The international community is assisting with vaccinations and laboratory support. With many Chinese nationals now working in Sudan, Beijing has ordered local health authorities to scan travelers arriving from Sudan for fevers, and is urging Chinese travelers en route to Sudan to be vaccinated. Read more »

Polio in Nigeria

by John Campbell
Volunteer Health officials wait to immunise children at a school in Nigeria's capital Abuja February 1, 2010. (Afolabi Sotunde/Courtesy Reuters) Volunteer Health officials wait to immunise children at a school in Nigeria's capital Abuja February 1, 2010. (Afolabi Sotunde/Courtesy Reuters)

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) reports eight new polio cases in Nigeria, bringing the total in that country to seventy for 2012. As with previously reported cases this year, these are all to be found in predominately Muslim northern Nigeria, in areas affected by Boko Haram. Read more »