SPOTLIGHT Photo:Nancy Rollnick Health-care Mission Delivers Hope to Madagascar

The Measles Initiative is a partnership— led by the American Red Cross, the United Nations Foundation, UNICEF, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization (WHO)— committed to reducing measles deaths worldwide.

One of the most successful public health programs in recent years, the Measles Initiative has supported the vaccination of more than 400 million children in over 50 countries.

In 2000, measles caused approximately 757,000 deaths, mostly children under five. By 2006, measles deaths were reduced to 242,000 people worldwide– a remarkable drop of 68 percent. The reduction was even greater in Africa where measles deaths plunged by more than 91 percent.

Building on its success, vaccination campaigns often include additional services to improve children’s health, such as insecticide-treated mosquito nets for malaria prevention, vitamin A and de-worming medicine.

More work needs to be done. Each day nearly 600 children die from this deadly disease … and millions more are at risk.

The Measles Initiative is working toward the goal of reducing measles deaths by 90 percent worldwide by 2010 (compared to 2000).

It costs less than $1 to provide a child with measles vaccine. That’s less than $1 to bring a child the promise of a more healthy future.

Donate now to support the Measles Initiative.