Related Experiment Videos
Measles elimination--is it achievable? Lessons from an immunisation coverage survey
1Mpumalanga Department of Health, Nelspruit.
Summary
Routine measles vaccine coverage in Mpumalanga Province was only 71.1%, highlighting significant gaps in immunisation. Obstacles to vaccination were the primary reason for failure, underscoring the need for targeted interventions.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Vaccinology
Background:
- Measles remains a significant public health concern globally.
- Achieving high vaccination coverage is crucial for disease elimination.
- South Africa has set goals for measles elimination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess routine measles immunisation coverage at the district level in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.
- To identify and understand the reasons behind immunisation failures for the measles vaccine.
- To inform strategies for improving measles control and elimination efforts.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an adapted World Health Organisation (WHO) Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) cluster sampling method.
- Randomly selected 630 clusters across 21 health districts in Mpumalanga Province.
- Collected immunisation data from 12-23 month olds and recorded reasons for non-vaccination.
Main Results:
- Weighted measles coverage was 71.1%, the lowest among all EPI antigens in the province.
- Significant heterogeneity in coverage was observed across districts, with low-coverage districts bordering neighbouring provinces.
- Vaccination obstacles (49%), lack of information (30%), and lack of motivation (22%) were key reasons for immunisation failure.
Conclusions:
- Urgent need for supplementary immunisation activities, including campaigns, to meet measles elimination targets.
- District-level coverage data is vital for identifying areas needing targeted interventions.
- The negative correlation between routine and campaign coverage warrants further investigation.