Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Simone Keizer-Beache, is reminding citizens that immunization for children against certain vaccine preventable diseases, including measles, is offered at no cost at government health centres across Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Dr. Keizer-Beache is therefore, urging parents who have not yet fully immunised their children, or for those who are due their booster shots, to do so immediately.

Focal Point for communicable diseases and immunisation in the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, Ms. Ferosa Roache, said that there is no need for citizens here to fear as Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has been free of the endemic (local) transmission of measles since 1991 because of the success of our Expanded Program on immunistion. She also said that that before the introduction of the measles vaccine, nearly all children contracted the disease.

Citing data from the most recent verification report done in 2011, Ms. Roach added that in 1988 CARICOM Ministers of Health met and declared that indigenous measles should be eliminated in the Caribbean sub-region by 1995. This decision resulted in several vaccination strategies being implemented by several Caribbean countries, including Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The report further indicated that in May 1991, in response to this 1988 CARICOM resolution for measles elimination, a measles mass vaccination campaign was conducted. Thirty-eight thousand, one hundred and thirty-six children, one to fourteen years were targeted and thirty-eight thousand, one hundred and sixteen of them were immunised using the MMR vaccine. The coverage attained was ninety-nine (99%).

In 1995, a mop-up campaign was conducted targeting ten thousand, eight hundred and sixty children between the ages one to four years, and nine thousand, five hundred and ten children were immunised.

The  population  of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines  is  immunised against measles, as ninety percent (90%) of persons in the birth cohorts 1960 to 1978 had the opportunity to be vaccinated with the MMR vaccine during the Rubella Mass Campaign of 1999.  Ninety-nine percent (99%) of the birth cohort of 1974 to 1978 had at least two opportunities to be vaccinated with Rubella during the Rubella Campaign in 1987, and with the MMR during the Rubella mass campaign in 1999. Ninety-eight percent (98%) of the birth cohort of 1976 to 1990 had the opportunity to be immunised with MMR during the 'Measles Catch-up Campaign' in 1991.

The birth cohorts of 1983 to 1991 had the opportunity to be immunised with MMR in the routine program, while the cohorts of 1991 and 1997 had the opportunity to be immunised with measles vaccine in the routine program.

Persons born in 1991 and onwards had at least two opportunities to be immunised against measles and rubella through the routine first dose of MMR, measles catch-up, rubella mass campaign and the second follow-up campaign of 1999, and also the MMR 2-dose, which was introduced in 2001. This coverage is considered adequate for the elimination of measles, rubella and congenital rubella syndrome.

A surveillance system for suspected measles was also established in 1991. This surveillance system identified fourteen (14) cases of fever and rash between the periods 1996 –2001. These cases, however, were negative for measles on laboratory investigation. No laboratory confirmed cases of measles have been reported since 1991.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines experienced outbreaks of measles in 1980 and 1990, when 129 cases were reported.

Ms. Roache further added that the government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is committed to sustaining the program gains achieved by the expanded program on immunisation. She said that there are human and financial resources allocated to the program and a supportive legislative environment that promotes immunisation of children as a requirement for school entry. Maintenance of the vaccination coverage of 100% for all antigens included in the national schedule is accorded a high priority.

Ms. Roache says it is important to note that Measles was declared eliminated (i.e. interruption of year-round endemic transmission) in the United States in 2000, because of high population immunity achieved by high 2-dose measles vaccine coverage and a highly effective measles vaccine. However, measles is still endemic in many parts of the world, and outbreaks can occur when unvaccinated groups are exposed to the imported measles virus.

Underscoring this country’s readiness to combat any such problem, Ms Roache said that in 2011, a team of professionals in the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment completed the verification process of elimination of Mumps, Measles, Rubella and congenital Rubella syndrome. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has met all of the criteria set out by the WHO and has a national immunization coverage of over 95% against MMR. This coverage is considered adequate for the elimination of Measles, Rubella and Congenital Rubella syndrome. A report was submitted to PAHO/WHO and we are awaiting certification.

Compulsory immunisation for children begins at birth and continues until 10 years old with the following schedule: