Measles deaths in Africa plunge by 91%

Measles deaths in Africa fell by 91% between 2000 and 2006, from an estimated 396,000 to 36,000, reaching the United Nations 2010 goal to cut measles deaths by 90% four years early. The spectacular gains achieved in Africa helped generate a strong decline in global measles deaths, which fell 68% worldwide – from an estimated 757,000 to 242,000 – during this period.

The progress was announced by the founding partners of the Measles Initiative: the American Red Cross, UNICEF, the United Nations Foundation, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The data will be published in the November 30 editions of WHO’s Weekly Epidemiological Record and CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

“This is a major public health success and a tribute to the commitment of countries in the African region,” said Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General. “We need to sustain this success and intensify our efforts in other parts of the world, as there are still far too many lives lost to this disease.”

The significant decline in measles deaths in Africa was achieved by the commitment of national governments to fully implement the measles reduction strategy, which includes vaccinating all children against measles before their first birthday via routine health services and providing a second opportunity for measles vaccination through mass vaccination campaigns.

“The clear message from this achievement is that the strategy works,” said CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding. “The next step is to fully implement this strategy in South Asia, where measles disease burden is now the highest in the world.”

Mass vaccination campaigns have had a major impact on reducing global measles deaths. From 2000 to 2006, an estimated 478 mln children aged nine months to 14 years received measles vaccine through campaigns in 46 out of the 47 priority countries severely affected by the disease.

In 2006, global routine measles vaccination coverage reached an estimated 80% for the first time, up from 72% in 2000. The largest improvements in vaccination coverage were in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean.

“But measles is still killing nearly 600 children under five every day, an unacceptable reality when we have a safe, effective, and inexpensive vaccine to prevent the disease,” said Ann M. Veneman, Executive Director of UNICEF.

Large countries with high numbers of measles deaths, such as India and Pakistan, need to fully implement the proven control strategy, while all measles priority countries must continue conducting follow-up vaccination activities every two to four years until their routine immunization systems are capable of providing measles vaccination to all children.

A key factor contributing to progress in reducing measles deaths has been the strong support of the Measles Initiative and the GAVI Alliance. Since its launch in 2001, the Initiative has supported vaccination efforts in over 50 countries and mobilized more than USD 470 mln with help from partners such as the GAVI Alliance.

The Measles Initiative, launched in 2001, is led by the American Red Cross, the United Nations Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, UNICEF and WHO. Other key partners include the GAVI Alliance, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the Canadian International Development Agency, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Becton, Dickinson and Company, the Izumi Foundation, the Vodafone Group Foundation, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and countries and governments affected by measles.