Measles deaths in Africa fell by 91percent between 2000 and 2006, from an estimated 396,000 to 36,000,reaching goals set by the United Nations, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.
The spectacular gains achieved in Africa helped generate a strong decline in global measles deaths, which fell 68 percent worldwide -- from an estimated 757,000 to 242,000 -- during this period, the U.N. agency said in a statement.
"This is a major public health success and a tribute to the commitment of countries in the African region," said WHO Director-General Margaret Chan.
"We need to sustain this success and intensify our efforts in other parts of the world, as there are still far too many lives lost to this disease," she said.
According to the WHO, the significant decline in measles deaths in Africa was made possible by the firm commitment of national governments to fully implement the measles reduction strategy.
The strategy includes vaccinating all children against measles before their first birthday via routine health services and providing a second opportunity for measles vaccination through mass vaccination campaigns.
Mass vaccination campaigns have had a major impact on reducing global measles deaths. From 2000 to 2006, an estimated 478 million children aged nine months to 14 years received measles vaccine through campaigns in 46 out of the 47 priority countries severely affected by the disease.
In 2006, global routine measles vaccination coverage reached an estimated 80 percent for the first time, up from 72 percent in 2000. The largest improvements in vaccination coverage were in the African and the Eastern Mediterranean regions.
Major challenges still need to be overcome to achieve the U.N. goal to cut global measles deaths by 90 percent in the period 2000-2010, the WHO said.
Large countries with high numbers of measles deaths, such as India and Pakistan, need to fully implement the proven control strategy. Currently, about 74 percent of measles deaths globally occur in South Asia.
Source: Xinhua
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