The American Red Cross and its Measles Initiative Partners Vaccinate One Billion Children in First Decade
News Release: August 15, 2011
Contact: Janice Osborne, Regional Communication Officer
American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley
(610) 865-4400, ext. 262; pager (610) 830-9771


WATCH VIDEO: The Last Measle

The American Red Cross and its Measles Initiative partners recently announced they have helped vaccinate one billion children in more than 60 developing countries since 2001, making significant gains in the global effort to stop measles.

The child who received the history-making measles vaccination was one of 3.5 million immunized in Mozambique this May. The immunization campaign was sponsored by the American Red Cross and the Measles Initiative's four other founding partners - the United Nations Foundation, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF, and World Health Organization.

"When we started the Measles Initiative ten years ago, we knew that we would help save millions of lives, but we never imagined where the public's support would take us," said David Meltzer, senior vice president of international services with the American Red Cross. "This milestone in measles control is significant and improves the overall outlook for children's health around the world."

In 1980, before widespread vaccination, measles caused an estimated 2.6 million deaths each year. With accelerated immunization activities spearheaded by governments and the Measles Initiative, global measles mortality has decreased by an impressive 78 percent worldwide from 733,000 deaths in 2000 to 164,000 in 2008. Reductions in measles-related deaths during that same time period accounts for nearly a quarter (24 percent) of the overall decrease in childhood mortality, representing significant progress toward Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG4). This goal, which was set by the UN, aims to reduce the mortality rate for children less than five years by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015.

For less than a dollar, a child can be easily and safely vaccinated against measles. That dollar covers the cost of all necessary resources, including the vaccine, syringes, waste disposal, transportation, training of volunteers and community outreach to make sure each child has a chance to be vaccinated.

Locally, Red Cross youth volunteers have raised $1,310 over the past 2-1/2 years for the Measles Initiative program. That dollar figure equates to 1,310 children being vaccinated.

The Emmaus High School Red Cross Club, for example, sold paper child shapes for $1 each to students and faculty. Each child shape sold - 420 - represented an African or Asian child who would be vaccinated against measles. Donors received spotted ribbon-shaped lapel pins and, more important, the satisfaction that a child would receive a lifesaving vaccine against measles.

"With every dollar donated, we vaccinated another child," said John R. Hughes, regional executive at the Greater Lehigh Valley Red Cross. "Across the globe, our community has stopped outbreaks, improved treatment and protected future generations from one of the world's deadliest diseases."

Looking ahead to its second decade, the Measles Initiative will focus on achieving a series of interim targets toward the eventual eradication of measles. The first of these milestones will be to reduce measles mortality by 95 percent by 2015 (compared to 2000). The Measles Initiative estimates it will need approximately $212 million between 2012 and 2015 to reach the targets.

The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley serves residents of Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties. Last year the Red Cross helped more than 76,500 people through preparedness and training, military personnel support, senior lifesaving programs and services, emergency relief and information and referral. The Red Cross is a charitable organization - not a government agency - and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information about the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley or volunteer opportunities, call (610) 865-4400 or visit www.redcrosslv.org.