A review of measles supplementary immunization activities and the implications for Pacific Island countries and territories.
Standard measles control strategies include achieving high levels of measles vaccine coverage using routine delivery systems, supplemented by mass immunization campaigns as needed to close population immunity gaps. Areas covered: This review looks at how supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) have contributed to measles control globally, and asks whether such a strategy has a place in Pacific Islands today. Expert commentary: Very high coverage with two doses of measles vaccine seems to be the optimal strategy for controlling measles. By 2015, all but two Pacific Islands had introduced a second dose in the routine schedule; however, a number of countries have not yet reached high coverage with their second dose. The literature and the country reviews reported here suggest that a high coverage SIA combined with one dose of measles vaccine given in the routine system will also do the job. The arguments for and against the use of SIAs are complex, but it is clear that to be effective, SIAs need to be well designed to meet specific needs, must be carried out effectively and safely with very high coverage, and should, when possible, carry with them other public health interventions to make them even more cost-effective.
a School of Population Health, The University of Melbourne , Melbourne , Australia.
C John
CJ
Clements
b Maternal and Child Health Unit, Public Health Division , Secretariat of the Pacific Community , Suva , Fiji.
Taniela Sunia
TS
Soakai
c United Nations Children's Fund , Suva , Fiji.
Nahad
N
Sadr-Azodi
D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D008457:Measles / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008458:Measles Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010139:Pacific Islands / Q000453:epidemiology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D008458:Measles Vaccine
Pacific Island Countries and Territories; Supplementary immunization activities; acute fever and rash (AFR); measles-containing vaccine; outbreak; population immunity; routine immunization services; surveillance; susceptible; vaccine efficacy