Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warned Friday of a measles outbreak in Darfur, reporting over 1,300 cases since September 2025 amid a lack of urgent and effective vaccination campaigns.
MSF noted repeated delays in vaccine delivery and the postponement of response campaigns, leaving children unprotected while the outbreak spreads. The organization urged Sudanese authorities to remove bureaucratic and administrative barriers to vaccine distribution across Darfur and called on UNICEF to coordinate and expedite delivery of vaccines, syringes, and supplies.
The emergency coordinator in Darfur, Ahmed Fadel, emphasized that measles is preventable through routine and timely response immunization, which has been severely limited due to conflict and administrative obstacles. More than 34% of patients in Zalengi and Nyala suffer from severe malnutrition, exacerbating disease severity and leading rapidly to life-threatening complications, including pneumonia and encephalitis.
