The World Health Organisation (WHO) data shows that the number of measles deaths globally decreased by 71 per cent  between 2000 and 2011, from 542 000 to 158 000. Over the same period, new cases dropped 58 per cent from 853 500 in 2000 to 355 000 in 2011.  The new data “Measles and Rubella Initiative” released by WHO on Thursday.

Although the WHO Region of the Americas has sustained measles elimination since 2002, and the WHO Western Pacific Region is on track to achieve elimination, large outbreaks of measles are jeopardizing progress in the remaining regions that have these goals.

WHO recommends that every child receive two doses of measles vaccine. The new data, published in this week’s edition of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and then in WHO’s Weekly Epidemiological Record, show overall progress in reducing deaths is linked largely to increased vaccination coverage.

Estimated global coverage with a first dose of vaccine increased from 72 per cent in 2000 to 84 per cent in 2011. The number of countries providing the second dose through routine services increased from 97 in 2000 to 141 in 2011. Since 2000, with support from the Measles & Rubella Initiative, more than 1 billion children have been reached through mass vaccination campaigns ? about 225 million of them in 2011.

Despite this global progress, some populations remain unprotected. An estimated 20 million children worldwide did not receive the first dose of vaccine in 2011. More than half of these children live in five countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) (0.8 million); Ethiopia (1 million); India (6.7 million); Nigeria (1.7 million); Pakistan (0.9 million).

Large measles outbreaks were reported in all these countries and several others in: DRC (134 042 cases); Ethiopia (3255 cases); France (14 949 cases); India (29 339 cases); Italy (5189 cases); Nigeria (18 843 cases);; Pakistan (4386 cases); Spain (3802 cases). Most of these countries are in WHO regions which have committed to eliminate measles by 2015 or 2020.

The measles outbreaks pose a serious challenge to the regional elimination efforts and signal where national health systems and routine immunization programmes need strengthening. Resuming progress in reducing measles cases and deaths means strengthening health systems so that they can provide effective immunization services and laboratory-supported surveillance for vaccine-preventable diseases to all children.

The outbreaks also indicate the need to ensure that parents are fully aware of the benefits of immunization and the risks associated with not vaccinating children.

Launched in 2001, the Measles Initiative is a partnership — led by the American Red Cross, United Nations Foundation, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF and WHO — committed to reducing measles deaths worldwide.

In April of 2012, the partners of the Measles Initiative introduced a new global plan to jointly tackle measles and rubella using the same strategy and a combined measles-rubella vaccine. This new strategy is represented in its new name, the Measles & Rubella Initiative. The Initiative’s goal is now to reduce measles deaths worldwide by 95 per cent between by 2015 and to eliminate measles and rubella in at least five of six WHO regions by 2020.


The Measles & Rubella Initiative is a global partnership committed to ensuring no child dies from measles or is born with congenital rubella syndrome.