Conference Abstract | Volume 9 (ConfPro8): Abstract 53 | Published: 08 Oct 2026
Faiza Alhassan1,&, Felecia Alemna1, Charles Noora Lwanga1, Donne Ameme1, Delia Bandoh1, Samuel Oko Sackey1, Basil Benduri1, Joseph Asamoah Frimpong1, Mavis Cecilia Coffie1, Ninyen Paul1, Chrysantus Kubio1,2, Alhassan Gorge2, Hassana Iddi 2
1Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana, 2Northern Regional Health Directorate, Northern Region, Ghana
&Corresponding author: Faiza Alhassan, Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana, Email: alhassan.faizatu@gmail.com, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-9072-9411
Received: 11 Mar 2026, Accepted: 30 Aug 2026, Published: 08 Oct 2026
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Keywords: Measles, surveillance, vaccination, Northern Region, outbreak
©Faiza Alhassan et al. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Faiza Alhassan et al., Epidemiological trends and patterns of measles in the Northern Region of Ghana, 2014–2024. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2026;9(ConfPro8):53. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO8-0053
Measles remains a significant global public health concern, with recent resurgences driven by immunity gaps, weak surveillance systems, and COVID-19–related service disruptions. Although Ghana has made progress toward measles elimination, outbreaks continue to occur in Northern Ghana, indicating persistent gaps in immunisation coverage and surveillance performance.
An analysis of case-based measles surveillance data from the Northern Region, 2014–2024, was conducted. Data were obtained from IDSR case-based forms, SORMAS, and population denominators from the Ghana Statistical Service. Variables analysed included age, sex, district of residence, vaccination status, and case classification. Descriptive statistics summarised epidemiological trends, demographic and spatial distribution, and vaccination patterns. A SARIMA model was used to forecast measles incidence for 2024–2029.
A total of 1,475 suspected cases were reported, of which 227 (15.4%) were laboratory confirmed. Case counts remained low between 2014-2022 but surged sharply in 2023 (716 suspected; 153 confirmed), yielding an incidence of 6.4 per 100,000 population. A decline followed in 2024 (197 suspected; 64 confirmed). Children aged 0–4 years constituted 71.5% of all cases. Spatial clustering was observed, with the highest burdens in Nanumba North (42), Tamale Metro (40), and Zabzugu (33). Vaccination uptake among cases was low: only 14% had received 1 dose, 14% had received 2 doses, and 18% had unknown status. Among confirmed cases, 79% were not yet due for vaccination. Forecasting shows repeated seasonal peaks over the next five years if gaps persist.
Measles transmission was generally low for most of the decade but escalated in 2023 due to immunity gaps among young children and district-level disparities in vaccination performance. Although cases declined in 2024, persistent vulnerabilities threaten elimination goals. Strengthening routine immunisation, district-level micro-planning, and surveillance sensitivity remains essential.
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