When we look at this kind of success, it gives us hope as we look toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals, particularly the goal that calls for the reducing of child mortality by two-thirds from 1990 levels with the end date of 2015," said Ann Veneman.
The chief of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Julie Gerberding, says the success of the measles campaign so far has encouraged the coalition to set a new target of reducing measles deaths 90 percent by 2010. The aim is to be more aggressive in Asia and the eastern Mediterranean region.
Yet whether measles can be eradicated as smallpox was is a different matter. Health officials say it is conceivable because the virus does not exist in animals, it is stable and mutates little, and the vaccine is effective.
However, they also note that several factors could prevent eradication. The virus is highly infectious and requires continued high vaccine coverage, but 29 million children in developing nations still do not receive routine measles shots and wars in several countries prevent mass vaccination campaigns.
"At this stage, I think it is too early to talk about eradication," she said.
Again, World Health Organization chief Margaret Chan.
"It's something we can talk about and see the next stage after we have achieved the new goal," noted Margaret Chan.
출처: VOA(Voice of America) news
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