Not only vaccine hesitancy, but also vaccination campaign hesitancy drives measles epidemics in conflict-torn eastern DR Congo

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine hesitancy are not the only causes of the increase in measles cases in low- and middle-income countries. Measles epidemics, like the recent one in eastern DRC, are often quickly halted by mass vaccination in 'easy to reach' refugee camps. However, governmental and humanitarian actors fail to respond effectively in 'hard-to-reach' areas like Masisi, frequently limiting themselves to more accessible areas close to big cities.

Keywords: Congo; Measles; Médecins Sans Frontières; Vaccination; Vaccine preventable diseases.