Five Leading Global Public Health Organizations Announce a New Initiative to Save Children from Measles Deaths in Africa as Part of a Global Effort to Reduce Child Mortality New web site launched, www.measlesinitiative.org WASHINGTON, February 6, 2002— Five leading global public health organizations announced today a new initiative that will focus on immunizing children against measles to save 1.2 million lives in Africa over the next five years, as part of a global effort to reduce child mortality. The Measles Initiative is a long-term commitment to control measles deaths, beginning with Africa, by supporting immunization services, including vaccinating 200 million children through both mass and follow-up campaigns in up to 36 Sub-Saharan African countries. The Partners are also exploring potential support to reduce measles mortality in countries outside Africa. The Measles Initiative is a US-based partnership that includes: American Red Cross, United Nations Foundation (UN Foundation), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO), and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Africa partners include national Ministries of Health, national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies with support from the the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs). In the battle to reduce mortality from measles, partnership is crucial since each player brings a different strength, experience, and field of expertise. "Bringing these interests together and forging partnerships for progress is what the UN Foundation is all about," said Timothy E. Wirth, President, United Nations Foundation. "It is increasingly clear that every citizen, every sector and every nation has an interest in working together to promote progress in health, human rights, the economy and the environment. Those who think progress in these areas is elusive need look no further than this very tangible, impressive collaboration." In February of 2001, American Red Cross convened a meeting with other public health organizations. American Red Cross, CDC, UNICEF, UN Foundation, WHO, PAHO and others met to discuss the growing problem of measles in Africa and around the world. "We looked at problems that afflict the world and we found that measles was an enormous one. What is so tragic about the deaths is that they are preventable," said David McLaughlin, Chairman, Board of Governors, American Red Cross. "The mission of the Red Cross is to help relieve suffering at home and around the world. Leading our global partners in the fight against measles gives us an opportunity to do that on a big scale." In order to accomplish the goal of saving 1.2 million child lives in Africa over the next five years, while exploring opportunities in other countries with high measles deaths, Partners strive to achieve sustained high routine immunization services supplemented by periodic mass campaigns and surveillance. A measles campaign is a coordinated effort of health workers, volunteers, and communities to ensure that within a short period of time vaccination teams reach every child. Partners also support related activities including training, safe-injection practices and disease surveillance. The measles vaccination campaigns are carried out for several days for children under 15 years of age. Follow-up campaigns occur three to four years after the initial mass campaigns for children under five years of age who were born since the first mass campaign. The strategy of high routine vaccination coverage combined with mass campaigns has been proven to be an effective strategy to prevent measles deaths. Before the measles vaccine became available, virtually all children contracted measles, an estimated 135 million cases and about six million deaths occurred globally each year. By 2000, approximately 80% of the world's children under one year of age were reported to have received the measles vaccine. However, 18 countries, 14 in Africa, reported coverage less than fifty percent. More recently in Latin America, deaths caused by measles have been reduced to zero after the full strategy was implemented in the Americas in the 1990's. The strategy was proven effective in almost 50 countries in Latin America where deaths caused by measles have been reduced to zero after implementation of high routine coverage, enhanced surveillance and a series of mass vaccination campaigns conducted during the 1990's. Supplementing routine measles vaccination with mass campaigns is now part of the recommended strategy of WHO and UNICEF for developing countries and the Measles Initiative will provide resources for this component. Campaigns in 15 African countries have demonstrated that children can be vaccinated against measles for less than one dollar per child. The dollar per child number factors in the cost of all the resources needed for a mass measles campaign - from the vaccines, syringes and health worker costs to mobilizing the population to get their children vaccinated. UNICEF believes that every child has the right to be immunized and protected from measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases. "Every minute, one child dies from measles in Africa. This is unacceptable," said Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF. "Measles vaccination campaigns will reverse this trend and give children a good start in life." As Partnership strategies were being developed over the last year, mass measles campaigns were carried out in eight African countries, vaccinating more than 20 million children and preventing more than 140,000 deaths. First-year countries include: Tanzania, Uganda, Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo, Cameroon, Ghana, and Benin. The partners anticipate supporting measles vaccination in 12 countries for the second year, vaccinating 53 million children and preventing over 90,000 deaths. The Measles Initiative is focused initially in Africa where there is the highest risk of death and the most measles deaths. Measles Initiative Partners also work on a wide-range of health initiatives around the world, including measles control and other vaccination services outside of Africa. The Measles Initiative is a long-term commitment to control measles deaths in Africa by vaccinating 200 million children, preventing 1.2 million deaths over five years. Leading this effort are the American Red Cross, United Nations Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, Pan American Health Organization and United Nations Children's Fund. Other key players in the fight against measles include the the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and countries and governments affected by measles. For more information, or to support the Measles Initiative, log on to www.measlesinitiative.org. CONTACTS: Julie Irby, American Red Cross, International Communication (202) 639-3512 office, (571) 236-6172 cell Kaia Lenhart, UN Foundation Program Communication Director and Rex Carney, Communications Director (202) 887-9040 office David Gittelman, CDC, Public Health Advisor (404) 639-8252 office and Steven Stewart, Communications Specialist (404) 639-8327 office Mohammad Jalloh, UNICEF, Communication Officer (212) 326-7516 office John Fitzsimmons, WHO, Technical Officer (202) 974-3884 Measles Initiative Fast Facts THE GOOD NEWS Measles vaccination is the most cost-effective public health intervention available for preventing deaths It costs less than a dollar to vaccinate a child against measles During the first year of the Initiative (July 2001-Jun 2002), mass measles campaigns have been carried out in eight African countries, vaccinating more than 20 million children and preventing more than 140,000 deaths In the Americas, measles deaths have been eliminated THE BAD NEWS Measles is the leading vaccine-preventable childhood killer in the world Each year, 30-40 million children suffer from measles and one million die from the disease In Africa alone, 200 million children are at risk from measles More than 12 million cases occur and 450,000 children die from measles in Africa annually - more than HIV, more than tuberculosis, and more than malaria Of the 1.7 million vaccine-preventable deaths among children in 2000, nearly 50% died from measles (777,000 deaths) More than half of measles deaths every year occur in Africa (about 450,000) which translates to: - 1,200 children die every day of measles in Africa - 51 children die every hour of measles in Africa - one child dies every minute of measles in Africa In the 36 endemic African countries, one in 100 children die of measles Measles, spread through the air, is one of the most contagious diseases known Virtually every community in Africa is affected by measles Measles attacks skin surfaces (gut, cornea, lungs) and attacks the immune system so children die of complications from measles including pneumonia, diarrhea, and blindness Visible signs of measles include fever, rash, running nose, cough, red eyes, red lips, peeling of the skin, and difficulty breathing Measles can also cause blindness, brain damage, and make a child susceptible to secondary infections such as pneumonia and diarrhea ROLES OF MEASLES INITIATIVE PARTNERS American Red Cross provides funding and has the network of branches around the world and the volunteers to do social mobilization, ensuring each child has a chance to be immunized. UN Foundation provides a substantial amount of funding as well as the financial mechanisms necessary to move funds between agencies and to countries. CDC provides funding and advises on the technical and scientific basis for the vaccination and disease surveillance activities. WHO provides overall technical leadership and helps countries design the policies and health guidelines for each country to ensure that proper, and high quality steps are taken during immunization activities. UNICEF is the only organization allowed to import the vaccine into Africa and has a sophisticated logistics capacity as well as great stature in each country.   © Copyright 2001 The American National Red Cross. All Rights Reserved.        CONTACT US  |  SITE DIRECTORY  |  PRIVACY POLICY