The health ministry launched a large-scale measles-rubella supplementary immunisation activities (MR SIA) vaccination campaign in late October, aiming to protect 1.5 million children. Post Staff
The Ministry of Health has reported an increase in measles cases across 17 provinces, with 375 cases detected over the past 12 months.
The ministry noted that the number of cases has been rising steadily, particularly in schools and certain border provinces, since October 2024.
This surge has prompted relevant ministries and institutions, including the World Health Organization (WHO), to initiate a large-scale measles-rubella supplementary immunisation activities (MR SIA) vaccination campaign in late October, aiming to protect 1.5 million children.
The initiative, which began on November 1, aims to vaccinate children under five years old across 25 provinces, in an urgent bid to curb the rise of measles that has gripped the country.
The alarming upsurge has raised red flags among public health officials, as the disease spreads rapidly, particularly in schools and border provinces.
The ministry attributes the rising numbers to a combination of factors, including gaps in immunization coverage, disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and increased mobility in vulnerable populations, particularly in rural and border areas.
Globally, measles outbreaks have more than doubled in recent years, according to WHO.
“In 2023 alone, reported cases surged from 170,000 in 2022 to over 320,000,” according to WHO.
This sharp increase is largely linked to declines in routine vaccination coverage during the pandemic, as many countries, including Cambodia, struggled with lockdowns, disrupted health services and delayed immunisation programmes.
Cambodia, along with its neighbouring countries, faces a heightened risk of outbreaks, especially in vulnerable populations such as children, migrants and communities in border areas.
The WHO, along with global partners such as UNICEF and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has urged nations to strengthen vaccination efforts, particularly among children, who are most at risk of severe complications from the disease.
In response to the resurgence, the ministry rolled out a two-phase nationwide MR SIA.
“Health personnel will do everything they can to reach all children, especially those living in high-risk and hard-to-reach areas, such as children living in urban poor households; those living in remote rural communities, children of ethnic minorities and migrant children,” said health minister Chheang Ra.
The campaign, which is supported by global partners including Gavi, WHO, UNICEF and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), aims to close immunity gaps and protect children from the severe consequences of measles, which can cause blindness, brain damage or even death.
In addition to vaccinating children who have never received the measles-rubella vaccine, the initiative is also aimed at boosting immunity by providing a second dose to children who may have already been vaccinated in routine immunisation programmes.
Symptoms typically appear 10 to 14 days after exposure and include high fever, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes and small white spots inside the cheeks.
A distinctive red rash usually develops seven to 18 days after exposure, beginning on the face and neck before spreading to the extremities.
Parents were urged to immediately seek medical attention if their children display symptoms such as fever, cough or rash.
The ministry also encouraged parents to ensure children under five receive the free vaccine at health centres to prevent infection.
The most effective way to prevent measles and curb its spread is to receive two doses of the vaccine during childhood through the National Immunisation Programme.
While measles is preventable through vaccination, gaps in immunisation coverage remain a persistent problem.
According to the WHO/UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage (WUENIC), the country’s immunisation rates for the first and second doses of the MR vaccine in 2023 stood at 79 per cent and 64 per cent, respectively.
These figures fall short of the levels needed to prevent outbreaks and deaths from measles, which has prompted the ministry to launch the current campaign.
WHO representative to Cambodia Marianna Trias remarked, “Measles and rubella are entirely preventable, but they still pose a significant threat to Cambodia’s children.”
“This nationwide MR SIA is an essential step towards health equity, ensuring that no child is left behind in our mission to eliminate these diseases.”
