World Health Assembly to discuss measles eradication
Member States will be discussing, at the 63rd World Health Assembly being held on 17-21 May, progress made in achieving current targets and goals for measles mortality reduction and the feasibility of measles eradication. Programmatic challenges to achieving measles elimination in each WHO region will be considered, as will proposed intermediate targets for 2015.
Global mortality due to measles has been reduced by 78%, from an estimated 733 000 deaths in 2000 to an estimated 164 000 deaths in 2008. The WHO Region of the Americas has sustained measles elimination since 2002 and four of the five remaining WHO Regions have set regional elimination goals to be achieved by 2020 or earlier. Increasing routine immunization coverage, improving surveillance systems, and political and financial commitment will be critical to further progress and to maintaining gains already made.
The immediate challenges facing measles control and elimination activities include narrowing the current funding shortfall of US$ 50 million for 2010 and the occurrence of disease outbreaks in at least 24 countries since 2009 due to insufficient levels of measles vaccination coverage
Other topics to be discussed by delegates include the Global Polio Eradication Initiative Strategic Plan for 2010-2012, treatment and prevention of pneumonia, and the prevention and control of viral hepatitis.
- Global eradication of measles. Report by the Secretariat
- Poliomyelitis: mechanism for management of potential risks to eradication. Progress report
- Treatment and prevention of pneumonia. Report by the Secretariat
- Viral hepatitis. Report by the Secretariat
- Family and Community Health: contributing to the Millennium Development Goals