U.N. MEASLES GOAL SURPASSED THROUGH VACCINATION

The U.N. announced that child mortality due to measles has decreased by 60 percent since 1999, exceeding the U.N.'s goals, thanks to a four-part disease-prevention strategy that includes stringent vaccination.

The plan involves providing one dose of measles vaccine to all infants through routine health services as well as a second opportunity for measles immunization for all children, generally through mass vaccination campaigns. The strategy also includes disease surveillance and care, including vitamin A supplementation.

The U.N.'s original goal was to reduce measles death in children by half, and success in topping this goal has largely been propelled by gains in Africa where such deaths have been slashed by 75 percent.

World Health Organization data shows that deaths due to measles fell worldwide from approximately 873,000 in 1999 to 345,000 in 2005. In Africa, measles deaths have dropped from 506,000 to 126,000 during that same time period.