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Published Date: 2010-06-19 15:44:53
Subject: PRO/EAFR> Measles - Africa (23)
Archive Number: 20100619.208705

MEASLES - AFRICA (23)
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[1]
Date: Fri 18 Jun 2010
Source: The Montreal Gazette, Agence France-Presse (AFP) Report [edited]
http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/Measles+outbreak+kills+more+than+Africa/3170284/story.html

Measles outbreak kills more than 700 in Africa
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A recent measles outbreak in eastern and southern Africa has killed
more than 700 people, threatening to reverse gains made over several
years to stem the disease, the United Nations said Friday [18 Jun
2010]. "As of mid-June 2010, the outbreak has affected more than 47
907 children in 14 countries, resulting in 731 deaths. The most
recent confirmed measles outbreaks were reported from Malawi,
Mozambique and Zambia," a statement said. The worst-hit country is
Zimbabwe with 517 reported deaths.

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization
warned the outbreak "has put recent gains in reducing mortality due
to this highly contagious disease at risk of being reversed." The
statement said that control strategies, including routine
immunisations, recommended by the 2 UN agencies in recent years
needed to be more rigorously implemented.

"The current wave of measles outbreaks comes as a result of gaps in
the implementation of the control strategies. These gaps have been
caused by inadequate financial commitments from governments and
partners," it said. "Measles are easily preventable. In order to
sustain our efforts and successes in combating the disease, we
urgently need to fill the funding gaps. Otherwise, we will again see
more measles deaths in the near future," said UNICEF Regional
Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Elhadj As Sy. Measles can
cause severe complications such as pneumonia, diarrhea and encephalitis.

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[2]
Date: Fri 18 Jun 2010
Source: ReliefWeb.com, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF); World
Health Organization (WHO) Reports [edited]
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/EGUA-86JQ4T?OpenDocument

A steep increase in cases of measles in Eastern and Southern Africa
has put recent gains in reducing mortality due to this highly
contagious disease at risk of being reversed.

As of mid-June 2010, the outbreak has affected more than 47 907
children in 14 countries, resulting in 731 deaths. The most recent
confirmed measles outbreaks were reported from Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia.

The measles control strategies being implemented in the region
include: a 1st dose measles immunization through routine infant
immunization programmes; a 2nd opportunity measles vaccination to
children during supplemental immunization activities (SIAs) or during
a routine service delivery schedule during the 2nd year of life; high
quality disease surveillance supplemented with laboratory
confirmation; and case management.

In order to ensure protection from outbreaks, at least 90 percent of
all children in each district and at national level need to be
vaccinated through routine immunization. Two doses of the vaccine are
recommended to ensure immunity, since about 15 percent of children
vaccinated at 9 months fail to develop immunity from the 1st dose.
The African Region of the World Health Organization (WHO) has
attained 92 percent reduction in measles mortality between 2000 and
2008 through the implementation of these strategies, with the support
from the Measles Initiative.

The current wave of measles outbreaks comes as a result of gaps in
the implementation of the control strategies. These gaps have been
caused by inadequate financial commitments from governments and
partners. Due to these shortfalls, routine immunization coverage has
declined and in some districts it was not possible to reach all
children. Moreover, in some countries (Malawi, Mozambique, South
Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe) certain groups of the population
refuse to immunize their children. In 2009, more than 2.4 million
children in the Eastern and Southern Africa sub-region (20 percent of
all children younger than one year) were not reached by routine immunization.

Measles is among the world's most contagious diseases. It can cause
severe complications such as pneumonia, diarrhea and encephalitis,
among others, and death. It can easily spread through coughing and sneezing.

With technical support from UNICEF, WHO and other partners and the
generous financial support from the Central Emergency Response Fund
(CERF), the UK Department for International Development (DFID), the
European Union and other international and local partners, countries
affected by the recent outbreaks are conducting proper outbreak
investigations, providing appropriate case management, conducting
response vaccination campaigns at various scales and working to
strengthen routine immunization and disease surveillance.

Most countries have conducted limited response vaccination campaigns
to stem the outbreaks. South Africa, for example, launched a measles
vaccination campaign on 12 Apr 2010 for children aged 6 months to 15
years after facing a huge measles outbreak in 2009/2010, and Zimbabwe
followed from 24 May to 2 Jun 2010.

Other affected countries (Lesotho, Malawi and Zambia) are planning to
conduct supplemental immunization activities as well, but funding has
not yet been secured. Similarly, Comoros, Ethiopia and Madagascar
have planned to schedule follow up supplemental immunisation
activities in 2010. However, these countries are experiencing large
funding gaps which will compromise the quality of the SIAs.

"Measles are easily preventable. In order to sustain our efforts and
successes in combating the disease, we urgently need to fill the
funding gaps. Otherwise, we will again see more measles deaths in the
near future," said UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern
Africa, Elhadj As Sy.

"To eliminate the risk of resurgence, countries must continue
follow-up vaccination campaigns every 2 to 4 years until their health
care systems can routinely provide 2 doses of measles vaccination to
all children and provide treatment for the disease," said WHO
Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo

The Measles Initiative was founded in 2001 and is led by the American
Red Cross, The UN Foundation, the US Centres for Disease Control and
Prevention, UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Update on the measles outbreak in the affected countries in Eastern
and Southern Africa (data as of 15 Jun 2010):

Zimbabwe (8173 cases, 517 deaths), Zambia (817 cases, 33 deaths),
Tanzania (20 cases, 1 death) , Swaziland ( 529 cases, 0 death), South
Africa (15 520 cases, 18 deaths), Namibia (3722 cases, 58 deaths),
Mozambique (434 cases, 0 death), Malawi (11 461 cases, 68 deaths),
Lesotho (2406 cases, 28 deaths), Kenya (295 cases, 0 death) Ethiopia
(2108 cases, 8 deaths), Botswana (1048 cases, 0 death).

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[This report highlights the resurgence of measles in East and
Southern Africa due to inadequate funds to implement recommended
control measures. This therefore calls for more commitment by the
national authorities and partners to prevent the reversal of the
gains made in the recent years in curtailing measles deaths.

A map showing the affected countries in East and Southern Africa can
be seen at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa#Territories_and_regions. - Mods.JFW/MPP]

See Also