The Minister of Health Dr. Hamad Al-Mane said MOH is intended to eradicate measles and prevent its spreading in all parts of the Kingdom within the year 2008.
He said MOH has set a comprehensive plan for realizing this goal prior to 2010, the time approved by the regional ministers of health in accordance with an agreement conducted with the World Health Organization (WHO). "Preparation has been accomplished for a national vaccination campaign against measles", he said. "Millions of measles vaccine doses have been secured and the campaign shall start in all parts of the Kingdom on Saturday 21/08/1428, being 25/8/2007".
The campaign which targets 6.5 million citizens and residents between 9 months and 18 years of age shall be launched in two stages, a first stage from 12/08/1428 to 11/11/1428 for children ranging between 9 months and 6 years of age and a second stage from 10/10/1428 to 11/11/1428 for all pre school, primary, intermediate, and secondary students.
He urged all families to bring their children to nearest health clinics during the above stated periods, denoting that about 2000 health clinics shall participate in the campaign.
On his part, the MOH Undersecretary for Preventive Medicine Dr. Khalid bin Ali Al-Zahrani, said coordination has been made with the Ministry of Education for executing the second stage of the campaign in the kindergartens and schools.
He stressed the importance of the campaign, which comes within the MOH endeavour to eradicate measles in the Kingdom. "We will follow up the results of the vaccination works during both the first and second stages of the campaign", he said.
On the other hand, the Director of Contagious Diseases Dr. Amin bin Abdul Hamid Mushkhis said the Americas have eradicated measles in 2000, whereas Europe and Eastern Mediterranean, including the Kingdom, have determined 2010 as a time limit for eradication. The Western Pacific has fixed a target to eradicate the disease by 2012. Africa and southeastern Asia will fight for reducing prevalence rates and preventing epidemics.
Measles affects infants and adults more than children. It is an acute viral contagious disease accompanied with fever, conjunctivitis, cough, and red skin ulcers starting on the face and covering all parts of the body from the third to the seventh days of infection. other common complications are Middle ear inflammation, pneumonia, broncholaryngitis, diarrhea, and encephalitis.