Measles vaccine campaign to resume within a week; 75 percent success

National vaccination campaign to eradicate measles will resume within one week, says Minister of Health Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim.

Measles is airborne and highly contagious.

The joint Maldivian government and World Health Organization (WHO) national measles vaccination campaign was launched by President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, but was suspended amid the H1N1 influenza outbreak in the country.

Speaking during the function held this Wednesday at Dharubaaruge to mark World Health Day, Nazim said the government had achieved 75 percent of its target when the campaign was suspended.

He said the campaign will resume within the next one to two-week period to vaccinate the rest of the target group.

The target group is everyone from 15 to 25 years of age. Ministry of Health aims to vaccinate at least 95 percent of the target group.

A national measles vaccination campaign was also carried out back in 2008.

Ministry of Health advises that two doses of the MR vaccine is needed for full protection.

Children between ages of 8 to 14 years who haven’t received two doses of the MR vaccine will also be vaccinated during this year’s campaign.