Slow Progress In Finalizing Measles And Rubella Elimination In The European Region

Robin Biellik; Iria Davidkin; Susanna Esposito; Andrey Lobanov; Mira Kojouharova; Günter Pfaff; José Ignacio Santos; John Simpson; Myriam Ben Mamou; Robb Butler; Sergei Deshevoi; Shahin Huseynov; Dragan Jankovic; Abigail Shefer

doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2015.1055

Slow Progress In Finalizing Measles And Rubella Elimination In The European Region

Health Aff (Millwood). 2016 Feb;35(2):322-6. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2015.1055.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Robin Biellik (rbiellik@gmail.com) is a retired World Health Organization (WHO) epidemiologist living in Geneva, Switzerland.
² Iria Davidkin is a retired senior researcher in the Viral Infections Unit, National Institute for Health and Welfare, in Helsinki, Finland.
³ Susanna Esposito is head of the Pediatric Highly Intensive Care Unit, Università degli Studi di Milano, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, in Milan, Italy.
⁴ Andrey Lobanov is a retired WHO medical officer living in Moscow, the Russian Federation.
⁵ Mira Kojouharova is deputy head of the National Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Ministry of Health, in Sofia, Bulgaria.
⁶ Günter Pfaff is head of the Department of Epidemiology and Health Reporting in the Baden-Württemberg State Health Office, in Stuttgart, Germany.
⁷ José Ignacio Santos is a professor in the Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, in Mexico City.
⁸ John Simpson is interim director of the Division of Emergency Preparedness, Resilience, and Response, Public Health England, in Salisbury.
⁹ Myriam Ben Mamou is coordinator of the Measles and Rubella Laboratory, Division of Communicable Diseases, Health Security, and Environment, WHO Regional Office for Europe, in Copenhagen, Denmark.
¹⁰ Robb Butler is program manager in the Division of Communicable Diseases, Health Security, and Environment, WHO Regional Office for Europe.
¹¹ Sergei Deshevoi is a medical officer in the Division of Communicable Diseases, Health Security, and Environment, WHO Regional Office for Europe.
¹² Shahin Huseynov is a technical officer in the Division of Communicable Diseases, Health Security, and Environment, WHO Regional Office for Europe.
¹³ Dragan Jankovic is a technical officer in the Division of Communicable Diseases, Health Security, and Environment, WHO Regional Office for Europe.
¹⁴ Abigail Shefer is a medical officer in the Global Immunization Division at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in Atlanta, Georgia. At the time of this work, she was a technical officer in the Division of Communicable Diseases, Health Security, and Environment, in the WHO Regional Office for Europe.

PMID: 26858387
DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2015.1055

Abstract

All countries in the World Health Organization European Region committed to eliminating endemic transmission of measles and rubella by 2015, and disease incidence has decreased dramatically. However, there was little progress between 2012 and 2013, and the goal will likely not be achieved on time. Genuine political commitment, increased technical capacity, and greater public awareness are urgently needed, especially in Western Europe.

Keywords: Developed World < International/global health studies; Epidemiology; Health Promotion/Disease Prevention; Maternal And Child Health; Public Health.

Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

MeSH terms

Child, Preschool
Disease Eradication / organization & administration*
Disease Outbreaks / prevention & control*
Europe / epidemiology
Humans
Measles / epidemiology
Measles / prevention & control*
Measles Vaccine / administration & dosage
Population Surveillance / methods
Rubella / epidemiology
Rubella / prevention & control*
Vaccination / standards
World Health Organization

Substances

Measles Vaccine

Grants and funding

001/WHO_/World Health Organization/International