A recent MSF article drew attention to a challenging situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Katanga region involving measles outbreaks. Over the past nine years, Katanga has experienced an outbreak of the highly contagious virus about every two to three years. The major contributing factor is a lack of routine vaccinations, as health zone supplies are hampered by lack of transportation and refrigeration capacities.
Because many children do not have direct access to vaccinations, by the time they are treated they often have advanced cases and mortality rates are high. The MSN strategy involves using mobile clinics to reach those areas that are impacted most severely. Modes of transportation used include motorbikes and canoes, with campaigns in late 2018 resulting in the vaccination of more than 42,000 children.