Measles campaign reaches 2.1 million kids

A life-saving measles vaccination campaign has reached 2.1 million Angolan children so far, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Thursday. The vaccination campaign was launched in late April and is spearheaded by the Ministry of Health with key financial, logistical and training support from UNICEF. "Given health specialists' estimates [that] 20-30 percent of Angola's child population contracts measles, and a vaccine effectiveness of 85 percent, this means that 350,000 cases of measles have been prevented," said a UNICEF statement. Measles, a highly contagious disease, kills more young Angolans than any other preventable ailment. "This is the peace dividend Angolan children have been waiting for," UNICEF Angola Representative, Mario Ferrari, was quoted as saying. "It represents a mighty effort on behalf of the Angolan government, UNICEF, WHO [World Health Organisation], WFP [World Food Programme] and the people of this country." Based on treatment costs at hospitals for 20 percent of the prevented 350,000 cases, the US $8 million campaign has already saved US $4.3 million. The national measles campaign, the biggest health initiative in Angola's history, aims to inoculate 7 million Angolan children over four weeks. "About 30 Angolan children die each day due to measles," UNICEF noted. The second phase of the campaign is currently being conducted in urban areas, making use of health centres and vaccination points at markets and informal gathering areas. "Phase three will be the most challenging, [as the goal is to] vaccinate 1.7 million Angolan children in rural areas, many of which are extremely difficult to access. However, the government of Angola and UNICEF are confident their massive mobilisation campaign – that includes teachers, the army, volunteers, and vaccinators – will be successful," UNICEF said.