As measles cases witnessed an upsurge globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have raised concerns that children below age five suffer the most, leaving them prone to the risk of contracting the viral disease.
The health organization said the viral diseases have been on the increase due to inadequate immunization coverage globally, driving the surge with about 10.3 million cases contracting measles in 2023 and a 20% increase from 2022.
As a preventive disease, they advised that two doses of measles vaccine should be administered to children, noting that more than 22 million children missed their first dose of measles vaccine in 2023.
In raising concern, it was noted that worldwide, about 83% of children received their first dose of measles vaccine last year, and only 74% received the recommended second dose.
Being a highly contagious viral disease that is transmittable with visible symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, and distinctive rash on the skin, it is said to have effects leading to pneumonia, brain damage, and even death in children under the age of five, especially on those with weak immune systems if not adequately handled.
To further protect communities and populations from the measles outbreak as one of the world’s most dangerous contagious human viruses, the health organization revealed that 95% or greater of two doses of the measles vaccine is sufficient for each country and community.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said, “The measles vaccine has saved more lives than any other vaccine in the past 50 years,” and “To save even more lives and stop this deadly virus from harming the most vulnerable, we must invest in immunization for every person, no matter where they live.”
CDC Director, Mandy Cohen emphasized the effect and danger of the contagious virus, stating that “the number of measles infections is rising around the globe, endangering lives and health,” adding that “the measles vaccine is our best protection against the virus, and we must continue to invest in efforts to increase access.”
The New Daily Prime gathered that in covering the vaccination coverage gap globally, in 2023, about 57 countries experienced large or disruptive measles outbreaks, greatly affecting all regions except the Americas, and representing a nearly 60% increase from 36 countries in the previous year.
The document reviewed by this corepodence read, “The new data show that an estimated 107 500 people, mostly children younger than 5 years of age, died due to measles in 2023. Although this is an 8% decrease from the previous year, far too many children are still dying from this preventable disease. This slight reduction in deaths was mainly because the surge in cases occurred in countries and regions where children with measles are less likely to die, due to better nutritional status and access to health services.”
“Even when people survive measles, serious health effects can occur, some of which are lifelong. Infants and young children are at greatest risk of serious complications from the disease, which include blindness, pneumonia, and encephalitis (an infection causing brain swelling and potentially brain damage).”
Outlining their aim and objectives for the elimination targeted in 2030, the document noted, “As measles cases surge and outbreaks increase, the world’s elimination goal, as laid out in Immunisation Agenda 2030, is under threat. Worldwide, 82 countries had achieved or maintained measles elimination at the end of 2023. Just this week, Brazil was reverified as having eliminated measles, making the WHO Americas Region once again free of endemic measles. With the exception of the African Region, at least 1 country in all WHO regions has eliminated the disease.”
“Urgent and targeted efforts by countries and partners, particularly in the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions and in fragile, conflict-affected, and vulnerable settings, are needed to vaccinate all children fully with two doses of the measles vaccine. This requires achieving and maintaining high-performing routine immunisation programmes and delivering high-quality, high-coverage campaigns when those programmes are not yet sufficient to protect every child.
“Countries and global immunization partners must also strengthen disease surveillance, including the Global Measles Rubella Laboratory Network (GMRLN). Strong disease surveillance is critical to optimising immunisation programmes and detecting and responding rapidly to measles outbreaks in order to mitigate their size and impact.”
