Measles outbreak kills more than 1,200 people in Madagascar | 1 NEWS NOW

Babies groan when a nurse tries to rebadure mothers who have vaccinated their children against a measles epidemic that has killed more than 1,200 people in this island nation where many are desperately poor.

Madagascar is facing the largest measles epidemic in its history, with cases well over 115,000, but resistance to childhood immunization is not driving this rise.

Measles cases are increasing in the United States and elsewhere, partly because of false information that makes some parents hesitate to receive a vaccine. New York City is trying to stop an outbreak by ordering mandatory vaccinations in a Brooklyn neighborhood.

In Madagascar, many parents want to protect their children but face huge challenges, including lack of resources.

Only 58 people on the main island of Madagascar were vaccinated against measles, a major factor in the spread of the epidemic. Since measles is one of the most infectious diseases, the vaccination rate must be 90% to 95% or more to prevent epidemics.

On a recent day, the waiting room at Iarintsena Health Center was full, with mothers sitting on the floor and others waiting outside in overwhelming heat. Two volunteer nurses and a midwife tried to respond to the request.

Nifaliana Razaijafisoa had walked 15 kilometers with her 6-month-old baby in her arms.

"He has a fever," she says. "I think it's measles because there are those little pimples that have appeared on his face."

The nurse quickly confirmed it.

"I'm so scared for him because in the village everyone says it kills babies," Razaijafisoa said.

The epidemic has mostly killed children under the age of 15 since its appearance in September, according to the World Health Organization.

"Unfortunately, the epidemic continues to gain momentum," said Dr. Dossou Vincent Sodjinou, epidemiologist at the WHO in Madagascar, but at a slower pace than there is a month. By mid-March, 117,075 cases had been reported by the Ministry of Health, affecting all regions of the country.

Some cases of resistance to vaccination exist because of the influence of religion or traditional health practitioners, but they are isolated, he said.

This epidemic is complicated by the fact that nearly 50% of Malagasy children are malnourished.

"Malnutrition is the bed of measles," said Sodjinou.

At the end of last month, WHO launched a third mbad vaccination campaign in Madagascar with the overall goal of reaching 7.2 million children aged 6 months to 9 years.

"But immunization is not the only response strategy to this epidemic.We still need resources for care, monitoring and social mobilization," said Sodjinou, a WHO epidemiologist.