Authors
Asha Raghavan, Surveillance Medical Officer, WHO, Kerala State
Abstract
Background: India is committed to the WHO South-East Asia Regional resolution to eliminate Measles and control Rubella/Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) by 2020. Following recommendations from the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization, a nation-wide Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine campaign is being rolled out in phases to introduce the MR vaccine into the routine immunization program.
Methods: The MR campaign targets children aged 9 months to 15 years, regardless of previous vaccination or infection history. Kerala is part of Phase 2, aiming to vaccinate approximately 7.65 million children between October 3rd and November 3rd, 2017. The strategy involves initial two-week school-based sessions, followed by two weeks of outreach sessions in urban and rural areas, and a final week for sweep-up activities. Mobile/special teams and health facilities will also serve as vaccination sites. The campaign seeks to achieve over 95% coverage, with MR vaccine replacing the routine measles vaccine dose at 9-12 months.
Disease Burden: Despite global reductions in measles incidence, India accounted for 36% of global measles deaths in 2015 and nearly half of all CRS cases annually. Kerala also faces a significant burden, reporting around 13,000 measles and rubella cases and 17 deaths since 2011, with ongoing outbreaks.
Conclusion: The comprehensive MR vaccination campaign in Kerala is a massive public health undertaking critical for achieving the national and regional goals of measles elimination and rubella control by 2020, significantly reducing the disease burden in the state and country.