MEASLES AND RUBELLA
26th MAY 2018
Rotary took a pledge not to undertake any other world-wide project until it is certified that the World is Polio-free.
Is Polio gone from the World ? No.
Is it gone from India ? The answer is Yes – for the time being at least.
Polio brought for Rotary :
Esteem and acclaim
Partnerships with UN Agencies and the Gates Foundation
Unprecedented fund-raising success (e.g. Mrs. Birla)
Unparalleled Commitment and Enthusiasm amongst Rotarians
Development of one of the finest Health Infrastructures in the World
What a shame it would be if this infrastructure and this enthusiasm would lapse due to ennui and a feeling of having “reached” our goal.
With this background in mind, Rotary India has decided to leverage this infrastructure and enthusiasm to protect the children of India from the twin-scourge of Measles and Rubella.
In furtherance of this objective an MOU was signed between the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare of the Govt. of India and Rotary earlier this year.
India reported 17,250 measles cases in 2016, down from 30,168 in 2015. By 2018, India plans to reach 40 crore children with the measles vaccine, which is expected to considerably reduce the disease burden and help India meet its 2020 elimination target.
However, currently the country, continues to fall behind others, accounting for over 60 per cent of the total measles cases in the WHO South East Asia region (SEAR). India also accounts for a significant number of deaths from measles. Of the 1,34,200 measles death globally in 2016, the WHO South East Asia Region, comprising of 11 countries, accounted for around 54,500 deaths. Of this, around 49,200 occurred in India–nearly 36 per cent of the global deaths from measles and rubella.
Experts blame India’s demographics and misinformation about use of vaccines for the poor vaccination coverage.
“We are adopting a two-pronged strategy for measles elimination. Firstly, we will attack by intensifying the coverage of measles rubella vaccine by building on the existing coverage which will reduce the transmission. Secondly, we will ramp up coverage to take care of the new cases,”
While measles vaccine was already part of the government’s universal immunisation programme, this year the health ministry also introduced a new combined vaccine for measles and rubella.
Fast Facts
Globally, an estimated 450 people, mostly children, die every day from measles despite the fact that an effective and safe vaccine is available at low cost.
It costs less than $1 to vaccinate a child against measles.
A global goal to reduce measles deaths by 90 per cent by 2010 was set at the World Health Assembly in May 2005.
Despite global successes in reducing measles deaths, an estimated 164,000 people died from measles in 2008, the latest year for which figures are available.
In November 2010, the Government of India introduced a second dose of measles vaccination drive in 14 high-risk states, targeting 134 million children, to prevent an estimated 60,000 to 100,000 child deaths annually.
ACTIONS THAT ROTARIANS CAN UNDERTAKE
Rotarians all over the country are wondering that, now that India has completed over 7 years without any case of the wild Poliovirus, how Rotary can benefit the society and the country by leveraging the expertise in Social Mobilization that Rotary has acquired in battling Polio and in helping the Govt. of India and the Partners (WHO and UNICEF) set up a world class infrastructure in combating diseases against which immunization is available.
A natural assistant of Rotary’s fight against Polio is to help the Govt. of India in meeting its goal of a Measles-free India and in due course freeing Indian children from the clutches of Rubella.
YOU are thus pitchforked into becoming a vital cog in the Rotary Wheel as it rolls towards victory over the twin tormentors of Indian children – Measles and Rubella.
The Aditya Birla Foundation and several other generous donors like My younger brother PDG RAVI VADLAMANI have reposed their faith in Rotary in its quest for a Measles-free India.
Measles and Rubella are still devastating the children of India, as the following facts would demonstrate :
1. A safe and effective measles vaccine that can prevent suffering and death has been available for more than 50 years.
2. The western hemisphere eliminated measles in 2002 and rubella in 2009.
3. Vaccinating against measles and rubella provides huge rewards: Every $1 invested in vaccines yields a $58 return!
4. Over 95% coverage from MR is required for elimination. But MR coverage for several years is at 70%.
5. Measles and Rubella are endemic across the country.
6. 95% of the measles and 90% rubella cases occurring under 15 years of age.
7. More than 50% of measles cases unvaccinated.
8. No. of suspected measles cases in India in 2017 were 21274 and in 2018 as on 2nd April the no. 4852.
Only when every Rotarian in India adopts Rotary’s challenge as his / her own personal quest, will India succeed in this mighty task.
Your role and leadership in this campaign shall be a pivotal contribution that will make this task possible.
The National Committee constituted to combat Measles and Rubella, Past World Presidents Raja Saboo and Kalyan Bannerjee, Director Basker and other Senior Rotary Leaders are relying on your dedication and selfless work to mobilize the inherent strength of Rotary Districts and Clubs in rising up to this challenge.
Your job entails making every Rotary Club in the District take personal ownership of this campaign.
Some of the ways in which this could be achieved are:
Meetings
· Rotary District Coordinators to attend District Task Force meetings.
· Either NCM or District coordinator based at State Capital, to attend the State Task Force meetings.
· Appoint MR Chairman at Club level
· District workshop for club MR Chairman on Measles and Rubella
Creating demand for Immunization
· Posters in the community.
· Sunshades, Balls etc. on the day of Immunization at Immunization Primary Health Centre (PHC)
· Video/Film on the day of Immunization at Immunization centre.
· Diagnostic Medical camp and Rotary Doctors to be present for any consultation.
· Recognition of health workers at Primary Health Center or at Rotary meetings or District Meetings .
· Caps for health workers
· Motivation at religious place – Mosques/Temples/Gurudwaras/Churches, religious congregation.
· Video spots at local Cable TV network.
· Programs through radio.
· Messages through Cinema Slides.
· Painting competition at school on MR campaign.
· Motivation talks in schools for MR campaign. Interact/Rotaract to be involved.
· Sensitization of teachers in the schools.
· Rally/Marches by the school students/Rotaract students.
· Messages of religious leaders and celebrities
· Human chain
· Banners
· Stickers
· Car Rally with banners and mini tableau to drive through the area.
· Press briefing on the basis of the material provided by the National Committee.
· Hoardings.
A monthly report from you on the initiatives mentioned would help the Senior Rotary Leaders and the National Committee to assess the progress made and allow them to fine-tune the efforts as we go along in pursuit of our goal.
Looking forward to your enthusiastically espousing Rotary’s dream of a Measles-free India, mitigation of Rubella and a robust Routine Immunization,
26 May 2018