title: Impact of emergency mass immunisations on measles control in displaced populations in Gulu district, northern Uganda.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the impact of supplemental mass measles immunisations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of hospital and health centre records.
  
  
  METHODS
  Gulu district, Northern Uganda, having approximately 81% of the population living in internally displaced persons' (IDPs) camps.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age in months for 4,812 measles cases seen was 28.2 +/- 46.0 (p < 0.0001). Supplemental mass immunisations in 1997 and 2000 caused a 91% reduction of measles cases, 93% reduction of mortality, 91% reduction of bed-days and 79% reduction of outpatient cases. There was a 67% reduction in mean measles case admissions, 63% reduction in mean measles mortality, and 73% reduction in mean measles bed-days following district mass measles immunisations in 1997. However, following IDPs camps supplemental immunisations in 2000; there was 82% reduction of mean measles case admissions, 80% reduction of mean measles mortality and 88% reduction of mean measles bed-days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In similar situations, supplemental mass measles immunisations should be focused on IDPs camps with a wide age group in addition to improved routine immunization activities in the entire district.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, School of Medicine, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mupere
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Onek
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Babikako
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D032541:Mass Vaccination; D008457:Measles / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012036:Refugees; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014454:Uganda