The integrated vaccination drive for measles, rubella and polio that was slated for 5‑9 August 2026 in Nord‑Kivu, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, has been postponed. Provincial health officials said technical shortfalls and the ongoing response to Ebola made it impossible to launch the campaign on schedule. Prisca Luanda Kamala, the chief health coordinator for the governor, explained that essential infection‑control supplies were still missing and that the operation will be rescheduled once conditions are met.
Separately, the provincial health division is preparing a stand‑alone rubella vaccination effort for children aged 6 months to 14 years, though a launch date has not yet been set. Dr Bernardin Siviholya, head of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation in Butembo, warned that rubella infection in pregnant women can cause congenital malformations and stressed that vaccination is the only effective prevention.
Entities
Dr Bernardin Siviholya · Nord‑Kivu Provincial Health Division · Prisca Luanda Kamala