Measles progress in reverse as 22 mln miss vaccines

ABSTRACT

Kevin Cain, CDC’s global immunisation director, said the combination of vaccine gaps, measles outbreaks, and declines in detection and diagnostics, increases the likelihood of measles-related deaths and serious complications in children. “Countries and global health partners must prioritise finding and vaccinating children against measles to reduce the risk of explosive outbreaks and preventable deaths from this disease,” he urged. Peter Ofware, Kenya country director at health and human rights organisation HealthRight International, said countries in Sub-Saharan Africa which are disproportionately affected by the disease must adopt a multi-sectoral approach to get vaccination campaigns back on track.