It's not every day that you hear of a public health campaign as successful as this one. New data reported today indicate that Africa has managed to cut the number of measles deaths across the continent by a staggering 91% in recent years, from 396000 deaths in 2000 to 36000 in 2006, through a series of childhood vaccination programmes operated largely by determined volunteers. The programmes have proved successful even where local health systems have collapsed, as in Zimbabwe. Indeed, right across the world, the measles caseload is falling. To ensure this trend continues, the global Measles Initiative plans to emulate the African success elsewhere using the same model. If they can, then we may yet see the back of this dangerous childhood illness and an end to the terrible suffering it causes - and that would be good news indeed.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
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Shocking that over 400,000 children die of this preventable disease every year. In the Western hemisphere, measles is rarely fatal because infected children are bascially well-nourished, have access to some kind of medical care, and because immunisation campaigns have halted epidemics since the inception of the vaccine in 1963. At about 30 cents per shot, including the cost of training staff, the vaccine is far more cost effective than most other health interventions. This reduction actually shows real demonstrated commitment to public health on the part of African governments, which always makes me smile.....
Indeed. I also feel it's a little ironic that, in part due to the relatively low fatality rate in the West that you mention, many people feel it's 'safe' to stop vaccinating their children against measles. The drop off in vaccination has of course been accelerated with the 'MMR debacle', in the UK in particular.
But then a 'demonstrated commitment to public health' does not appear to be a strong trait across the UK population just at the moment. Look at the rise in the rates of sexually transmitted infections! On the other hand, support for the ban on smoking in public places seems pretty high, and healthy eating in schools is belatedly attracting attention - so there is some cause for hope.
As with the post on the successful fight against AIDS in Brazil, this is a reason to be very hopeful. Some African countries have taken a while to see the need for vaccination, and President Mbeki’s refusal to accept the efficacy of antiretroviral drugs has received worldwide condemnation, yet the vigour with which the measles campaign has been successfully pursued is very encouraging. The image of “trained volunteers” delivering vaccine by camel certainly put the District Nurse in the shade.
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