Source: Zimbabwe: Measles Outbreak – Operation Update n° 3, DREF n° MDRZW018

Zimbabwe: Measles Outbreak – Operation Update n° 3, DREF n° MDRZW018

This update informs the stakeholders on the implementation since the last update in November 2022. Zimbabwe Red Cross also inform on the intervention timeframe extension until 31 March 2023 to ensure coverage of the Vaccination campaign planned in coming weeks and to complete the activities which have been slow as the National Society with IFRC support has to engage with local partners to ensure the challenges resulting from the operation update wrongly quoted by a local media weeks ago is resolved

Summary of major revisions made to emergency plan of action:

Since the DREF measles intervention in the two Districts, there has been significant increases in terms of the coverage in Mwenezi District from 52.4% to 74.8% in the vaccination coverage in Masvingo. The situation in the Midlands- Gokwe North District showed that the children vaccinated before RC intervention were 36,852, Vaccinated after RC intervention as 2, 940, Total vaccinated as 39,792, hence total District Coverage increased from 76% to 83%. The MoHCC Masvingo Province has however requested Red Cross and other Partners from Masvingo to support with Round 3 of the Vaccination Campaign in Mwenezi District which they couldn’t complete and ZRCS intends to commit part of the remaining funds to be reallocated to this activity implying budget revision on the current DREF balances where applicable.

Remaining activities to be done and others to be completed

– Outstanding Vaccination team and volunteers’ payments

– Campaign slots on TV and Radio.

– Volunteer Surveillance ongoing.

– Media profiling for the DREF intervention.

– Lessons learnt workshop.

In addition to the 2 months extension, ZRCS intends to commit part of the remaining funds to be reallocated to this activity implying budget revision on the current DREF balances where applicable. The extension will help to contextualize and adapt the remaining actions to the districts micro-planning for the coming weeks and will be an opportunity for the NS and IFRC to build on the Humanitarian Diplomacy engagements underway with MoHCC to create a conducive platform for the launch of the AFRICA CDC SLL project and the USAID BHA RCCE programmes, all on the COVID 19 Response.

A. SITUATION ANALYSIS

Description of the disaster

From April 2022, Zimbabwe has been affected by measles outbreak in all the country’s 10 provinces with the most hit being Manicaland, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, and the Midlands provinces. The outbreak saw around 5,843 cases reported as of 01 September 2022. The outbreak in the form of illnesses and deaths, particularly among children under 5 years of age. The outbreak has been affecting mainly those children not vaccinated against measles and the key needs of the affected population include access to vaccines, medical treatment and support for families who have lost loved ones. As the outbreak is ongoing, it is difficult to predict specific dates and likely areas of impact, but the number of people likely to be affected is expected to continue to rise. Against this background, the Ministry of Health and Child Care requested support from different partners and the ZRCS responded through DREF to support communities in two districts, Mwenezi and Gokwe North. In Mwenezi there is high population density and this at times complicates efforts to control the spread of the disease and provide adequate care for those who are ill.
Gokwe North district is also considered to be at high risk due to its location in the Midlands province, which has a high number of reported cases.

From the last WHO epidemic report on 15 January 2023, there is a total number of cumulative cases of 7 743 (include 4 580 Recoveries on 25.09.2022) with 747 death VS 6 444 Cases in September 2022. The actions of the ZRCS are improving the vaccination rate to prevent against this disease. Success of prevention in the targeted district prompt an extension of the actions to reach more people.