Gambia Measles Vaccination Campaign To Vaccinate More Than 240,000 Children In One Week

Red Cross youth volunteers travel to The Gambia this Saturday to take part in campaign thanks to new Air France alliance

WASHINGTON, Thursday, December 04, 2003 — The Measles Initiative will carry out its last mass measles campaign of the year December 8-14 in Gambia. All at-risk children between the ages of nine months and 14 years old will be vaccinated. In addition, vitamin A will be distributed to children under five years old to help improve overall child health. In all, approximately 244,000 children are targeted to be vaccinated, saving 400 lives each year (according to the World Health Organization, 400 childhood measles deaths occur annually). The campaign goal is to bring measles deaths to near zero in Gambia.

Air France has signed a three year agreement with the American Red Cross that will further efforts to carry out advocacy for the Measles Initiative by offering transportation for American-based supporters such as American Red Cross National Youth Council members and other supporters from around the country. The agreement also allows members of the airline's frequent flier program to donate miles for tickets that will be given to future travelers. "The American Red Cross and its Measles Initiative partners appreciate Air France's commitment to help others take part in such a large life-saving initiative and in particular, help open the eyes of American youth making a difference in the world today for their counterparts in another part of the world," said Gerry Jones, American Red Cross Vice President of International Services. Their first gift of donated tickets was given last month as eight travelers were able to participate in the vaccination campaign in Guinea where 3.3 million children were vaccinated within one week.

Each year, measles kills nearly 700,000 children; 450,000 of those deaths are in Africa. Measles is one of the five major causes of childhood illness and is a leading cause of childhood mortality in Gambia. Outbreaks of measles continue to occur seasonally and sporadically in both rural and urban districts of the small West African country.

Isha Shah and Kelly Quann, currently college students and former students of Bensalem High School in Bensalem, Pennsylvania will be a part of an American Red Cross team to take part in the campaign. The students, former members of the American Red Cross Lower Bucks County Chapter's Youth Engaged in Service (YES) Club, advocated for and raised more than $2,400 for the Measles Initiative through a 'Race to Eradicate' event to help save children's lives. "Many people in the United States do not realize that measles is still a deadly disease in Africa. They think of it as a thing of the past. It's important to make people aware of the problem in Africa," said Quann.

Sandy Tesch and Aubin Dupree, American Red Cross National Youth Council members will also join the team to view first-hand the program they are actively supporting to help save lives half a world away. As a leader of the Measles Initiative National Youth Campaign, Tesch has been supporting youth efforts throughout the United States. Locally, she focuses on organizing events at U.C. Berkeley where she currently attends school. "The American Red Cross gives young people such amazing opportunities to reach out to all communities, even globally. The Measles Initiative is particularly special because young people are empowered to help kids just like them thousands of miles away by donating just $1," said Tesch.

Aubin Dupree has been spreading the word about the Measles Initiative at home and abroad. "I have spoken about the Initiative to young people all over the world, and everyone is amazed at how easy and fun it is to participate. It's incredible to meet and work with kids in other countries because it has made me realize that we can really change the world as long as we work together," said Dupree. The youth delegation will visit schools, hospitals and vaccination posts talking with mothers and children about the importance of vaccinations and learning also how African Red Cross societies work with volunteers during life-saving initiatives such as measles control.

In the first two years of the Initiative (2001, 2002) more than 64 million children in 12 countries were vaccinated preventing nearly 100,000 deaths. Countries that have hosted campaigns in 2003 include: Zambia, Angola, Uganda, Eritrea, Lesotho, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Ethiopia and Guinea. The remaining country to host a campaign in 2003 is Gambia, December 7-14. As of December 2003, the Initiative will have carried out mass measles vaccination campaigns in 24 countries, vaccinating more than 106 million children and saving more than 104,000 lives.

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. Leading this effort is the American Red Cross, United Nations Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization (WHO). Other key players in the fight against measles include the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and countries and governments affected by measles. 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.

Air France is a major global airline with service to more 198 destinations in 83 countries and more than 1,800 daily flights. The airline flies from 12 gateways in the United States and provides service from an additional 97 cities through its code-share agreements with SkyTeam partner, Delta Air Lines.

For more information about the Measles Initiative, log on to www.measlesinitiative.org. To make a financial contribution, call 1-800 HELP NOW or to make a secure online donation, log on to www.measlesinitiative.org.

THE DELEGATION WILL BE:
Isha/Shah
DEPARTING FROM Philadelphia, Saturday, Dec. 6, 5:10 p.m., Air France flight 379
RETURNING TO Philadelphia, Sunday, Dec. 14, 1:05 p.m., Air France flight 378

Tesch
DEPARTING FROM San Francisco, Saturday, Dec. 6, 3:10 p.m., Air France flight 83
RETURNING TO San Francisco, Sunday, Dec. 14, 1 p.m., Air France flight 84

TO SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW WITH A TRAVELLER OR WITH AIR FRANCE, PLEASE CALL THE CONTACT PEOPLE LISTED ABOVE.