Eastern Congo Launches Measles Vaccination Campaign

Wednesday 18th March 2026

By inAfrika Newsroom

Eastern Congo measles vaccination campaign began in Goma with a mass inoculation drive targeting 260,000 children, led by Médecins Sans Frontières, as health workers sought to close immunity gaps and curb transmission in vulnerable communities.

Reuters video reporting said vaccinations started on March 17, with hundreds of children immunised on the first day across hospitals and health centres. MSF’s medical team leader warned that immunisation gaps continue to fuel measles spread, especially where conflict, displacement, and weak routine services disrupt childhood vaccination schedules.

In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, public health delivery is often constrained by insecurity, population movement, and limited health infrastructure. Measles outbreaks can spread rapidly in crowded settings, including displacement sites and dense urban areas, and can become particularly dangerous for malnourished children.

Campaigns of this scale require logistics discipline: vaccine cold-chain management, staffing, community mobilisation, and reliable access to neighbourhoods. In conflict-affected contexts, the operational burden increases because teams may face route restrictions, security incidents, and rumours that reduce uptake.

Eastern Congo measles vaccination campaign: what MSF said

Eastern Congo measles vaccination campaign began in Goma on March 17 targeting 260,000 children, MSF said, with health workers warning that immunisation gaps continue to drive transmission.