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Health | 22 September, 2006 [ 13:21 ]

Peru Health Ministry launches vaccination campaign against German measles

Peru's Health Minister Carlos Vallejos has launched a nationwide campaign against the German measles (rubeola) with the goal of vaccinating nearly 20 million Peruvians between 2 and 39 years of age.

The campaign against one of the most contagious diseases known will begin on October 1st, 2006.

President Alan Garcia emphasized the importance of the health campaign because it will save several millions of dollars for treatment.

An ambitious global immunization drive has cut measles deaths by nearly half between 1999 and 2004, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) announced in March 2006.

Global deaths due to measles fell by 48%, from 871 000 in 1999 to an estimated 454 000 in 2004, thanks to major national immunization activities and better access to routine childhood immunization, the agencies said. These measles mortality data, calculated by WHO, are the latest available.

"Measles remains a major killer of children in the developing world, but it doesn't have to be," UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman said. "Just two doses of an inexpensive, safe, and available measles vaccine can prevent most, if not all, measles deaths."


tags : Peru health campaign German measles rubella vaccination

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