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To fully vaccinate a child with the basic package of immunisations – called the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) – infants must be brought to a health facility at least five times within their first year of life. Sitting in the waiting room of MSF's Aweil Civil Hospital (ACH) in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, South Sudan, Aguil Bol Mallien explains the challenges she faces when bringing her twin babies to be vaccinated. Aguil Bol Mallien with her twins. Photo: MSF “Two and half months ago, I delivered my twins here at ACH. This was the first time I've delivered in hospital as my other four children, aged between four and ten, were all delivered at home. I live...

Despite the growing complexity of an already unstable situation in North Kivu, DRC, MSF continues to provide primary and secondary healthcare to the population, supporting 4 reference hospitals, 12 health centers, 4 health posts, several cholera treatment centers (CTC), weekly mobile clinics, and emergency response activities as required.       An MSF staff member examines a young patient in Birambizo Health Zone in North Kivu. Photo: Emily Lynch/MSF   The increase in the conflict between armed groups since early April has led to population displacement, trauma wounds, and greater morbidity and mortality from certain illnesses for the populations affected by this...

On 25th of April, the annual World Malaria Day, many health organisations will highlight important gains in fighting this deadly disease that claims more than one million lives every year. But despite notable progress in terms of innovation and investment, MSF continues to see continuously high rates of malaria in several African countries. In DRC, MSF has observed infection rates above emergency thresholds in several provinces over the last six months, which can be attributed to a dysfunctional surveillance system, failure of the health system to respond to elevated levels of malaria, poor organisation and lack of diagnostic testing and drugs. Equally worrying are the continuing reports of emerging cases of drug resistant malaria in...

More than 150,000 people are currently being vaccinated near Conakry, the capital of Guinea, where a cholera epidemic has broken out. Photo: Christelle Ntsama   For the first time, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is responding to a cholera outbreak in Africa by carrying out a mass vaccination campaign. In Guinea, the emergency medical organisation is using an oral vaccine to limit the spread of the disease. The first two phases of this campaign began on April 18 in the Boffa region, near Conakry. "The epidemic in Guinea was declared in February and Boffa Prefecture is currently where we are seeing the largest active outbreak," said Charles Gaudry...