Measles cause fewer deaths

“The fact that the measles vaccine is cheap and accessible, saves millions of lives every year. That is fantastic news”, says Øyunn Holen from Doctors Without Borders. “Now that the world is facing a pendemic, it is important that we don’t let the corona response affect the vaccination campaigns. We know from experience that disruptions or delays can lead to more deaths than the virus itself. We and other health organisations must continue the important fight against measles, and the progress we have made shows that it is possible”.

Even though many children are vaccinated, measles are still a health problem in many parts of the world. In DR Kongo, a larger outbreak is now taking place in the shadow of the pandemic. Seven thousand people have died – most of them children. During the last years, we have also seen outbreaks in some European countries, probably due to vaccine resistance.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease, and there is no efficient treatment. The most efficient way of fighting it, is through vaccination. The World Health organization’s goal is to eliminate measles, and that no children should die of the disease in the future.

Did you know that...

...Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999 for its pioneering humanitarian work on several continents.