Measles Eradication Project

The Disease of Measles

An Ongoing Crisis
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known to man. A disease that is all but forgotten in America, Measles remains a major killer in other parts of the world. In 2003, an estimated 23 million children below five years of age suffered from measles and about 480,000 children died from the disease.

The Measles Initiative
The Measles Initiative is a partnership, established in 2001, among several non-profit and health organizations, along with the governments of affected countries, with a commitment to the eradication of measles across the globe.

The Measles Initiative strategy consists of mass vaccination campaigns for children ages nine months to 15 years lasting anywhere from a few days to several weeks in areas affected by the disease.

The Success of The Initiative
There is good news! Since it began in 2001, the initiative has reduced measles deaths in Africa by 60% and over one million lives have been saved! Because of its past success, the initiative is now focusing on the global problem and expanding to Asia. With your help, the Red Cross and its partners hope to reduce measles deaths around the world by 90% by 2010. The project will focus heavily on India, Pakistan, and Nigeria where a majority of measles deaths occur.

How You Can Help
The first step to helping alleviate this crisis is to create awareness. As measles does not pose a problem in the United States, many people are not aware of the havoc it is wreaking in other parts of the world. By simply visiting the official measles initiative website, you can get more information on the disease, vaccination campaigns and the latest news of successes around the world.

Did you know that it costs less than a dollar to vaccinate a child against Measles? Click here to make a donation online.

You can also host a measles campaign in your area to raise awareness and funds for the initiative. Contact us for more information on how you, your friends, family and organizations can contribute to the eradication of this devastating disease.