International
The Measles Initiative
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This child is one of the nearly 1 million who
received, for free, measles vaccinations and other
much needed health services.
Photo by Marko Kokic,
Canadian Red Cross | Measles is a leading vaccine preventable disease that kills nearly a quarter of a million children each year, mostly in Africa and Asia.
However, largely thanks to the Measles Initiative, measles deaths have been reduced by 68% globally between 2000 and 2006. This reduction is even greater in Africa, where measles deaths have plunged by 91% in the same time period.
Through the efforts of the Measles Initiative, millions of children are getting the opportunity to have a healthier life.
It costs less than $1 to vaccinate a child against measles.
The Measles Initiative is led by the American Red Cross and its partners – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF, UN Foundation and the World Health Organization (WHO). The Initiative provides technical and financial support to governments and communities to carry-out mass vaccination campaigns.
To find out how to get your youth groups and community involved in the fight against measles, please contact us.
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