Red Cross supports mass vaccination to rid Kenya of measles scourge
Geneva, 17 June 2002

Starting today, 3,000 volunteers of the Kenya Red Cross will be engaged in a door-to-door mass mobilization campaign to help ensure that 14 million children aged between nine months and 14 years are vaccinated against measles over the next seven days.

"The campaign will result in the prevention of approximately 18,000 measles deaths annually but only if all children are reached," said Kenya Red Cross secretary general, Abbas Gullet, who stressed the importance of ensuring that the campaign reaches into every part of the country through civil society organizations like the Red Cross working closely with the ministry of health and other partners.

The Kenyan campaign is a major milestone in a campaign to rid Africa of measles which claims the lives of nearly 1 million children each year. It is part of the Measles Initiative to control measles deaths by supporting immunization services, including vaccinating 200 million children in 36 sub-Saharan countries.

The Measles Initiative was launched last year with funding and expertise from a coalition of partners comprising American Red Cross, the UN Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF and WHO working with ministries of health and the members of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

"The shocking thing is that measles is completely preventible through the administration of an inexpensive vaccine but now with the support of this powerful alliance and local partners like the Kenyan Red Cross we are on the way to ridding Africa of measles," said Dr. Bernard Morinère, senior health adviser of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact:

In Nairobi: Andrei Neacsu, press officer: Tel: +254 733 632 943

In Geneva: Denis McClean, Head, Media Service: Tel: +41 22 7304 428 / Mobile +41 22 756 2734

In Washington: Stacey Grissom,external communications, American Red Cross: Tel: +1202 639 3310

The Geneva-based International Federation promotes the humanitarian activities of 181 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies among vulnerable people. By coordinating international disaster relief and encouraging development support, it seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The Federation, National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross together, constitute the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.