Oghenebrume Wariri1, Esin Nkereuwem2, Ngozi A Erondu3, Bassey Edem2, Oluwatosin O Nkereuwem2, Olubukola T Idoko4, Emmanuel Agogo5, Joseph E Enegela6, Tom Sesay7, Iya Saidou Conde8, Landry Kaucley9, Anthony Afum-Adjei Awuah10, Sule Abdullahi11, Richard Ray Luce12, Richard Banda13, Terna Nomhwange13, Beate Kampmann14. 1. Vaccines and Immunity Theme, MRC Unit the Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia. Electronic address: oghenebrume.wariri@lshtm.ac.uk. 2. Vaccines and Immunity Theme, MRC Unit the Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia. 3. Centre for Universal Health, Chatham House, London, UK. 4. Sanofi Pasteur, Lyon, France; The Vaccine Centre, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. 5. Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Abuja, Nigeria. 6. Africa Diseases Prevention and Research Development Initiative, Abuja, Nigeria. 7. Expanded Programme on Immunization, Freetown, Sierra Leone. 8. Expanded Programme on Immunization, Conakry, Guinea. 9. Expanded Programme on Immunization, Cotonou, Benin. 10. Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Kumasi, Ghana. 11. WHO Country Office, Monrovia, Liberia. 12. WHO, West African Regional Support Team, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. 13. WHO Country Office, Abuja, Nigeria. 14. Vaccines and Immunity Theme, MRC Unit the Gambia at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia; The Vaccine Centre, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The WHO Regional Office for the Africa Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group, in 2011, adopted the measles control and elimination goals for all countries of the African region to achieve in 2015 and 2020 respectively. Our aim was to track the current status of progress towards measles control and elimination milestones across 15 west African countries between 2001 and 2019. METHODS: We did a retrospective multicountry series analysis of national immunisation coverage and case surveillance data from Jan 1, 2001, to Dec 31, 2019. Our analysis focused on the 15 west African countries that constitute the Economic Community of West African States. We tracked progress in the coverage of measles-containing vaccines (MCVs), measles supplementary immunisation activities, and measles incidence rates. We developed a country-level measles summary scorecard using eight indicators to track progress towards measles elimination as of the end of 2019. The summary indicators were tracked against measles control and elimination milestones. FINDINGS: The weighted average regional first-dose MCV coverage in 2019 was 66% compared with 45% in 2001. 73% (11 of 15) of the west African countries had introduced second-dose MCV as of December, 2019. An estimated 4 588 040 children (aged 12-23 months) did not receive first-dose MCV in 2019, the majority (71%) of whom lived in Nigeria. Based on the scorecard, 12 (80%) countries are off-track to achieving measles elimination milestones; however, Cape Verde, The Gambia, and Ghana have made substantial progress. INTERPRETATION: Measles will continue to be endemic in west Africa after 2020. The regional measles incidence rate in 2019 was 33 times the 2020 elimination target of less than 1 case per million population. However, some hope exists as countries can look at the efforts made by Cape Verde, The Gambia, and Ghana and learn from them. FUNDING: None.
BACKGROUND: The WHO Regional Office for the Africa Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group, in 2011, adopted the measles control and elimination goals for all countries of the African region to achieve in 2015 and 2020 respectively. Our aim was to track the current status of progress towards measles control and elimination milestones across 15 west African countries between 2001 and 2019. METHODS: We did a retrospective multicountry series analysis of national immunisation coverage and case surveillance data from Jan 1, 2001, to Dec 31, 2019. Our analysis focused on the 15 west African countries that constitute the Economic Community of West African States. We tracked progress in the coverage of measles-containing vaccines (MCVs), measles supplementary immunisation activities, and measles incidence rates. We developed a country-level measles summary scorecard using eight indicators to track progress towards measles elimination as of the end of 2019. The summary indicators were tracked against measles control and elimination milestones. FINDINGS: The weighted average regional first-dose MCV coverage in 2019 was 66% compared with 45% in 2001. 73% (11 of 15) of the west African countries had introduced second-dose MCV as of December, 2019. An estimated 4 588 040 children (aged 12-23 months) did not receive first-dose MCV in 2019, the majority (71%) of whom lived in Nigeria. Based on the scorecard, 12 (80%) countries are off-track to achieving measles elimination milestones; however, Cape Verde, The Gambia, and Ghana have made substantial progress. INTERPRETATION:Measles will continue to be endemic in west Africa after 2020. The regional measles incidence rate in 2019 was 33 times the 2020 elimination target of less than 1 case per million population. However, some hope exists as countries can look at the efforts made by Cape Verde, The Gambia, and Ghana and learn from them. FUNDING: None.
Authors: Ikechukwu Adigweme; Edem Akpalu; Mohammed Yisa; Simon Donkor; Lamin B Jarju; Baba Danso; Anthony Mendy; David Jeffries; Abdoulie Njie; Andrew Bruce; Michael Royals; James L Goodson; Mark R Prausnitz; Devin McAllister; Paul A Rota; Sebastien Henry; Ed Clarke Journal: Trials Date: 2022-09-14 Impact factor: 2.728
Authors: Fleurette M Domai; Kristal An Agrupis; Su Myat Han; Ana Ria Sayo; Janine S Ramirez; Raphael Nepomuceno; Shuichi Suzuki; Annavi Marie G Villanueva; Eumelia P Salva; Jose Benito Villarama; Koya Ariyoshi; Kim Mulholland; Luigi Palla; Kensuke Takahashi; Chris Smith; Edna Miranda Journal: Lancet Reg Health West Pac Date: 2021-12-15