Later this month, China will launch a nation-wide measles vaccination campaign in an effort to immunize 100 million children and eradicate the disease by 2012. "China is a priority country in the global fight against measles and we commend the Government for its leadership in this life-saving work," said Michael O'Leary, the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in China.
Measles is the leading cause of avoidable death and disability among children in developing nations. China reported 52,000 cases of the viral disease in 2009, about 86 percent of the measles cases in WHO's Western Pacific Region.
The UN is hopeful that this program will be a success. Previously well-planned immunization efforts have proved to be highly effective at reaching every child in need, even those is rural locations."We encourage all parents to take their children to the closest vaccination clinic during the campaign period. This huge nationwide effort will produce significant benefits for child survival," said Yin Yin Nwe, a United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Representative for China.
-Devynn Patterson
Source: "UN-backed anti-measles campaign to reach millions of children in China"-UN News Centre
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