India Bags Prestigious Measles & Rubella Champion Award for Disease Control Efforts

New Delhi: India has been honoured with the prestigious Measles and Rubella Champion Award for its relentless efforts in combatting these infectious diseases, as announced by the Health Ministry today.

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India receives ‘Measles and Rubella Champion’ Award for Exemplary Efforts in Measles and Rubella Disease Prevention.https://t.co/BJGApZcIsw pic.twitter.com/4cGpLJUC9H

— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) March 8, 2024

Presented by the Measles and Rubella Partnership at the American Red Cross Headquarters in Washington DC on March 6, the award was received by Ambassador Sripriya Ranganathan, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India, Washington DC, on behalf of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Comprising a multi-agency planning committee including the American Red Cross, BMGF, GAVI, US CDC, UNF, UNICEF, and WHO, the Measles and Rubella Partnership is dedicated to reducing global measles deaths and preventing rubella illness, as stated by the Health Ministry.

Despite challenges, India has made remarkable progress in reducing measles and rubella cases and preventing outbreaks through comprehensive interventions. The Government of India’s proactive MR vaccination campaign in high-risk areas, innovative strategies to reach underserved populations, robust surveillance systems, and effective public awareness initiatives have been instrumental in safeguarding the health of its population.

The award acknowledges the dedication and hard work of frontline health workers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and communities across the nation. Notably, 50 districts have consistently reported no measles cases, while 226 districts have not reported rubella cases in the past 12 months.

Highlighting that measles and rubella are vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs), the health ministry stated that the MR vaccine has been part of the UIP since 2017. The Indian government is actively working towards eliminating measles and rubella from the country.