Progress Toward Measles Elimination - South-East Asia Region 2003-2013.

In 2013 the 66th session of the Regional Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Region adopted the goal of measles elimination and rubella and congenital rubella syndrome control by 2020 after rigorous prior consultations. The recommended strategies include 1) achieving and maintaining >/=95% coverage with 2 doses of measles- and rubella-containing vaccine in every district through routine or supplementary immunization activities (SIAs); 2) developing and sustaining a sensitive and timely case-based measles surveillance system that meets recommended performance indicators; 3) developing and maintaining an accredited measles laboratory network; and 4) achieving timely identification investigation and response to measles outbreaks. This report updates previous reports and summarizes progress toward measles elimination in the South-East Asia Region during 2003-2013. Within the region coverage with the first dose of a measles-containing vaccine (MCV1) increased from 67% to 78%; an estimated 286 million children (95% of the target population) were vaccinated in SIAs; measles incidence decreased 73% from 59 to 16 cases per million population; and estimated measles deaths decreased 63%. To achieve measles elimination in the region additional efforts are needed in countries with <95% 2-dose routine MCV coverage particularly in India and Indonesia to strengthen routine immunization services conduct periodic high-quality SIAs and strengthen measles case-based surveillance and laboratory diagnosis of measles.