Rapid response capacity at the heart of MSF’s operations
Created in January 2014 and based in Bangui, EURECA is Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)’s mobile emergency response team in the Central African Republic (CAR). Its mission is to monitor, investigate and respond rapidly to medical and humanitarian emergencies throughout the country, including in the most isolated and difficult-to-reach areas. In a country marked by recurrent crises, a structurally fragile health system and frequent outbreaks of epidemics, EURECA is a central pillar of MSF’s emergency preparedness and response plan.
2025 : a year marked by strong operational mobilisation
In 2025, the EURECA (Emergency Response Team in CAR) team maintained a high level of mobilisation. Ten health and humanitarian emergency alerts were monitored across the country, resulting in six exploration and investigation missions carried out in Birao (yellow fever and whooping cough alerts), Gamboula (measles epidemic), Kabo (measles and meningitis epidemics), Zemio and Bozoum (population displacement), as well as in Bocaranga, where suspected cases of measles and other potentially epidemic diseases were reported. These investigations made it possible to quickly direct the medical response and trigger two major interventions in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Population (MSP).
In Gamboula, following the official declaration of a measles epidemic by the MSP, EURECA conducted a multisectoral intervention including vaccinating 19,721 children against measles, repairing three boreholes – including the sole borehole at the district hospital – and rehabilitating the district hospital’s waste management area. The intervention also enabled the safe disposal of waste from vaccination activities and the referral of 16 patients to appropriate healthcare facilities, including children suffering from severe acute malnutrition with complications and complicated measles cases.
In Kabo, the intervention launched after the declaration of a measles epidemic included a three-round multi-antigen vaccination campaign with enhanced support for the local health system. A total of 11,242 children were vaccinated against measles, 6,587 against meningitis, 3,995 against yellow fever, and 1,147 pregnant women received the tetanus vaccine. At the same time, 15,541 children aged 6 to 59 months underwent nutritional screening. The team also supported the rehabilitation of the hospital’s waste disposal area, trained hygienists, donated personal protective equipment, and supported the repair and installation of solar refrigerators and freezers in several health facilities.
EURECA is a pillar of emergency response in CAR
The interventions in Gamboula and Kabo were carried out with strong involvement from local and central health authorities, as well as active participation from management teams and health district staff, particularly in the preparation and implementation of vaccination campaigns.
For the communities concerned, the impact is immediate. Princia Kotto, a mother who came to have her child vaccinated in Kabo, says: “We were worried before the team arrived because of the disease. Today, my child is vaccinated and I feel reassured. Without this campaign, many children would have remained unprotected.”
The humanitarian situation in the country is not expected to improve in 2026. In January alone, EURECA responded to two alerts related to population displacement, notably in Zemio and Ouanda Djallé. With the reduction in health and humanitarian funding, many actors are reducing their presence in CAR. Furthermore, with recurrent low vaccination coverage in the country, epidemics will continue to strike mainly in remote areas. MSF will continue to provide support for rapid response to health emergencies throughout the country, including in the most isolated and difficult-to-reach areas.
