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Measles Initiative Works To Prevent Deaths In SE Asia
Written by
Lesly C. Hallman
, Staff Writer, RedCross.org
Monday, February 07, 2005 — The American Red Cross continues its tsunami relief efforts by committing $35 million to the United Nations Foundation (UN Foundation) to support vaccinations for children in tsunami-affected areas through the Measles Initiative.
Activities are already underway in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, one of the areas most affected by December’s tsunami, including measles vaccinations and Vitamin A drops for all children displaced by the disaster aged nine months to 15 years old.
The Measles Initiative is working to ensure kids in tsunami recovery camps in SE Asia are safe from measles. Photo courtesy IFRC. |
The same successful model that the Measles Initiative has used to vaccinate more than 140 million children in Africa since 2001 will be put to use in areas ravaged by earthquakes and tsunami that struck in December.
“Measles and malaria kill children at an alarming rate in the developing world,” said Timothy E. Wirth, President of the UN Foundation. “The health systems we have built in Africa through the Measles Initiative are saving thousands of children. Through the generosity of the American Red Cross, we will be able to replicate these systems in Sumatra to quickly mobilize and save children from these killer diseases.”
Partners in the Measles Initiative include the American Red Cross, United Nations Foundation (UN Foundation), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (Federation).
One of the biggest concerns following the tsunami was preventing the spread of infectious disease. Crowded conditions in relief camps following the tsunami are a perfect breeding ground for diseases like measles, the most contagious disease known, to spread.
Children in Sumatra are considered especially at risk for measles. Civil unrest in the country has led to low vaccination rates overall. In 2004, there were an estimated 10,000 measles deaths. The Measles Initiative plan includes two phases to support the immediate and long-term vaccination needs of children in the area.
“Children are dealing with so much right now in a brand new, tragic world. They are hungry, thirsty, tired and frightened. In addition to other ongoing relief efforts, the American Red Cross and its partners will work to keep them healthy by making sure each at-risk child receives the vaccinations he or she needs,” said Marsha J. Evans, American Red Cross President and CEO.
Launched in February 2001, the Measles Initiative is a long-term commitment to control measles deaths in Africa by vaccinating 200 million children and preventing 1.2 million deaths over five years. While the Measles Initiative is focused in Africa where the majority of measles-related deaths occur, partners also work on a wide-range of health initiatives around the world, including measles control and other vaccination services outside of Africa.
For more information about the Measles Initiative, log on to www.measlesinitiative.org.
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