 |
 |
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory viral infection that is commonly identified by its distinctive skin rash. It can be quickly transmitted through airborne droplets from person to person. The highest fatality rates are usually among children under five, and up to 20 percent of infants who are less than a year old. Children who catch measles may suffer lifelong disabilities such as brain damage, blindness and deafness. Measles remains the leading vaccine preventable disease that causes child deaths in the world.
Measles is common and especially dangerous in emergencies because of the following factors:
- Populations are displaced and live in overcrowded conditions.
- Sanitation and shelter are poor.
- Food and safe water are in short supply.
During an emergency situation, especially if the affected community is displaced, the existing expanded programme on immunization (EPI) operations may become disrupted, leaving the youngest and most vulnerable children unprotected. In emergencies, priority must be given to preventing measles outbreaks and efforts must be made to immunize all young children as completely and as quickly as possible.
This could mean that in the initial emergency response, your first measles vaccination communication action will be in support of an emergency measles vaccination campaign conducted by the Ministry of Health and other concerned organisations.
To read more about vaccination and supplementation promotion during emergencies, download the full chapter from the Behaviour Change in Emergencies Toolkit below.
