Cases of whooping cough and measles cases are on the rise as a result of the reduced routine vaccination coverage in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. This is due to the fact that health facilities in those countries have been focusing on halting the Ebola outbreak.
If you are scheduled for duty travel to West Africa in the near future, you may need to undertake several new vaccines. Travel clearance to Ebola-affected countries is conditional upon vaccination against the following diseases:
- Measles
- DTPA (Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis (whooping cough))
- Meningitis
- Yellow Fever
- Polio
- Typhoid
“We are concerned that with the Ebola outbreak, our staff will be further exposed to diseases for which we have effective vaccination”, explains Dr Jillann Farmer, United Nations Medical Director. “I encourage colleagues to seek their health care practitioners and examine their vaccination histories, so that we can determine if they need new vaccines or boosters before travel to the field.”
Vaccines for measles and pertussis (whooping cough), most commonly offered to children and adolescents, are also provided to adults who have never been immunised against those diseases, or as boosters.
You are advised to speak to your health care professional regarding the validity of previous vaccinations. Please ensure vaccination records are attached to requests for clearance, so that the Medical Services Division can expedite travel.
For more information, please contact msdpublichealth@un.org