Rubella elimination advancing in the Americas

Oct 2 2007

The First Lady of the Dominican Republic, Dr. Margarita Cedeno de Fernandez, today urged the countries of the Americas to redouble their efforts to eliminate rubella and congenital rubella syndrome as well as all other vaccine-preventable diseases.

Speaking at the annual meeting of the Americas' top health authorities at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the First Lady said "I call on all the governments in the continent to unite and redouble their efforts to eradicate all diseases preventable by vaccination." Dr Cedeno de Fernandez was honored for her work in promoting rubella elimination. by PAHO Director Dr. Mirta Roses, who cited the First Lady's strong commitment to vaccine programs and public health.

The health ministers approved increased efforts on rubella and congenital rubella syndrome, noting that as the PAHO region enters the final stages of rubella elimination, it faces the challenge of maintaining vaccine coverage at over 95 percent to achieve this goal and mobilizing an additional $112.5 million to complete rubella vaccination campaigns, including campaigns in Brazil and Mexico, and to maintain and strengthen integrated measles/rubella and Congenital rubella syndrome surveillance in the Region.

PAHO's Immunization Chief, Dr. Cuauhtemoc Ruiz, noted that before 1990, only 6 of the 44 countries and territories in the Region included rubella vaccine in their routine childhood vaccination programs, but today, around 99% of new birth cohorts in the Americas have access to MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine. He thanked health workers throughout the Americas for their work, noting that vaccine programs "also have the added value of strengthening health systems and attaining equity in health through immunization of all."

In their resolution, the health ministers noted "with satisfaction that tremendous progress has been achieved in obtaining the interruption of endemic rubella virus transmission, thus reducing the number of rubella cases in the Region by 98%, and that incidence is at its lowest to date in the Americas," and recognized eliminating rubella by 2010 will require " further commitment on the part of governments and the partner organizations that are collaborating on the elimination initiative, and the strengthening of ties between public and private sectors."

The ministers also agreed to " express appreciation and request continued support from the various organizations that, together with PAHO, have offered crucial support to national immunization programs and national endeavors to eliminate rubella and CRS, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Canadian International Development Agency, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, the Inter-American Development Bank, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the Japanese International Cooperation Agency, the March of Dimes, the Sabin Vaccine Institute, the United Nations Children's Fund, the United States Agency for International Development, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."

The full schedule and all documents for the conference are available online.

The Pan American Health Organization, founded in 1902, works with all the countries of the Americas to improve the health and quality of life of their peoples. It serves as the Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO).