100 Million to be Protected from Measles

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

New Efforts to Combat Measles in Zimbabwe

A new U.N.-backed effort in Zimbabwe will target 5 million children between the ages of 6 and 14 to receive measles immunizations. This move comes in response to a measles outbreak that has already affected 55 of the country's 62 districts. Peter Salama, Zimbabwe's representative U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) hopes that "we can use the outbreak to improve Zimbabwe's health sector." In addition to the mass immunizations, the new effort will also provide children with Vitamin-A supplements.

-Andrew Oestreich

SOURCE: UN News Centre

UNICEF / WHO vs. Measles in Bangladesh

Over the next two weeks UNICEF will be running a campaign in the country of Bangladesh to vaccinate 20 million children against the deadly disease of measles.

According to UNICEF "all Bangladeshi children aged between nine months and five years will be given the measles vaccine."

Both UNICEF and the WHO adopted a joint global plan in 2001 for reducing the number of deaths from measles - such goals and ambitions are in line with Millennium Development Goal # 6: to combat HIV/AIDS and Malaria around the world.

- Tiffanie Depew

SOURCE: UN News Centre

Passing through Hurdles to Help

Medair, a Swiss humanitarian agency, has recently been able to access areas in Southern Sudan to aid the remote tribes devastated by measles. Because of the rainy season, they were unable to help out last November, since getting there requires a 1-3 day walk through forests and mountains. To reach one tribe, they had to swim through a river and float their equipment on cooking vessels. After travelling through treacherous conditions, they were able to vaccinate a total of about 1,200 children. With no roads, health posts, schools, or markets near their tribes, people were very happy to see Medair come and help out.
Source: Reuters AlertNet