Strengthened Immunization, Surveillance Activities Critical To Eliminating Measles

CNN: Over 109,000 people died from measles in 2017 — needlessly
Kathy Calvin, president and CEO of the United Nations Foundation, and Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the American Red Cross

“…Failure to vaccinate has far-reaching consequences … We have the tools, knowledge, and know-how to stop [measles,] this avoidable disease. To build on this success and continue to move toward the elimination of measles, we must close immunity gaps around the world by reaching every child with lifesaving vaccines and detecting and responding quickly to stop every measles infection from spreading. … We call on ministers of health to commit to strengthening their immunization activities and to intensify surveillance to quickly detect cases and prevent this needless suffering. We call on parents to vaccinate their children. With your support, the United Nations Foundation and the American Red Cross, along with other [Measles and Rubella Initiative (M&RI)] partners, pledge to continue to provide vaccines, training for health workers, technical assistance, and community outreach and education. We can — and we must — protect our kids against measles, and once again regain the progress we’ve made against this disease” (2/6).

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