PHA-Exchange> UN AGENCIES HAIL 30 PERT CENT GLOBAL REDUCTION IN MEASLES DEATHS

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 from Vern Weitzel <vern.weitzel at undp.org> -----

UN AGENCIES HAIL 30 PERT CENT GLOBAL REDUCTION IN MEASLES DEATHS

New York, Apr 27 2004 12:00PM
United Nations agencies today announced a global reduction of 30 per cent in 
measles deaths between 1999 and 2002, proving that by 
acting collectively to reach the world�s poorest children countries can 
achieve the UN goal of halving the toll of the leading 
vaccine-preventable killer of children by the end of 2005.

At 35 per cent, the reduction was even greater in Africa, the region with the 
highest number of people affected by the disease, 
thanks in large part to the Africa Measles Partnership comprising, among 
others, the UN World Health Organization 
<"http://www.who.int/en/">(WHO), the UN Children�s Fund (UNICEF), national 
governments, the American Red Cross, the United States 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the UN Foundation.

�This is great news. Countries are to be commended for their efforts to fight 
measles � efforts that are truly paying off,� UNICEF 
Executive Director Carol Bellamy said in New York, noting that since 1999, 
almost 260,000 deaths per year have been prevented. 
�But we have to keep up the work and the funding as still far too many 
children�s lives are lost to measles.�

Recent progress is due to the adoption by the most affected countries of the 
comprehensive WHO/UNICEF strategy for sustainable 
measles mortality reduction, based on achieving at least 80 per cent routine 
immunization in every district and ensuring that all 
children get a second opportunity either through routine services or periodic 
Supplemental Immunization Activities (SIAs) every 
three to four years.

Under SIAs every child from nine months to five years of age is immunized over 
a one- to two-week period. The estimated annual 
cost for measles mortality reduction activities in the 45 so-called high burden 
countries is approximately $140 million.

�Countries have proven that routine immunization and supplemental measles 
immunization will reduce measles deaths. This is an 
extremely important step,� WHO Director-General Lee Jong-wook said in a news 
release in Geneva. �Now WHO encourages all 
high-burden countries to implement these strategies, and stands ready to help.

�However success also requires more resources, and a long-term commitment of 
leaders to permanently reducing measles deaths,� he 
added.
  

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