Measles on the rise despite elimination in 2019

• Special vaccination drive to take place 
• The vaccination drive is scheduled to take place on Saturday, January 6, 2024, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

By Sheain Fernandopulle   
Measles has resurfaced in Sri Lanka, despite the country being recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2019 for successfully eradicating the highly contagious disease.   
According to Health Ministry Secretary Dr.Palitha Mahipala, the global decline in immunization coverage, exacerbated by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, has opened the door for the resurgence of measles cases worldwide.    

Sri Lanka, too, is grappling with a recent surge in measles cases, predominantly concentrated in specific districts such as Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Galle, Matara, Kandy, Jaffna, Kurunegala, and Kalmunai.   
To combat this unexpected setback, health authorities have devised a special programme in collaboration with the WHO’s South Asian regional office and the Geneva office.  
This targeted initiative aims to administer measles vaccinations to infants aged between 6 and 9 months, focusing exclusively on the nine districts experiencing the highest concentration of cases. The vaccination drive is scheduled to take place on Saturday, January 6, 2024, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.  
In an effort to further contain the outbreak, health officials are planning to extend the programme to include individuals between 9 and 15 months of age who may have missed their initial measles vaccination. The vaccinations will be available at the nearest clinics.