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CSU 9/2008: GLOBAL MEASLES UPDATE
Except for breast feeding, which is free, measles vaccination is the most
cost effective life saving intervention in the armamentarium of public health. All studies which have reviewed the evidence show that measles vaccination saves lives for well under $1000 per
death averted.
It is even more cost effective when, as in the year just ended, it becomes the platform for other high impact interventions.
Measles SIAs in 35 countries delivered the following:
135 million vaccinated against measles
Vitamin A: 39 mil doses
De-worming: 19 mil doses
MR vaccine: 17 mil doses
OPV: 15 mil doses
Bed nets: 6.8 mil
TT: 1.9 mil doses
Uniquely in the world, the Region of the Americas has achieved and
sustained regional elimination. But the Americas are like the boy with his
finger in the dike, making sure that it is not flooded with measles cases
from other regions. How quickly will the other five WHO regions, three of
which are already committed to regional elimination, achieve their regional
objectives and pave the way for the world's next disease eradication?
Thanks to Ed Hoekstra and Peter Strebel for the above data, presented at the Global Measles Management Meeting held in Geneva in February 2008.