Gavi’s support for rubella – an underused vaccine – in combination with measles vaccine, benefits women’s and children’s health
The combined measles-rubella vaccine provides a 2-in-1 shot against two devastating diseases
Rubella vaccine gives long-term protection. It is often given in combination with measles vaccine – an effective, safe and cost-effective tool to prevent measles morbidity and mortality – in the form of measles‑rubella (MR) or measles‑mumps‑rubella vaccine.
WHO guidelines in 2011 supported a paradigm shift in vaccination strategy for the introduction of rubella-containing vaccines. Earlier thinking in the rubella disease community placed an emphasis on immunising adolescent girls and women of child-bearing age to decrease the risk of CRS. However, in many settings women were difficult to access resulting in limited vaccine coverage, and the rubella virus continued to circulate.
When routine childhood immunisation coverage is low, rubella continues to spread and children remain susceptible into adulthood. The new approach uses wide-age-range immunisation campaigns to interrupt transmission of the rubella virus, followed by rapid introduction of the vaccine into the routine immunisation system. The aim is to eliminate rubella and CRS over the long term.
The measles-rubella (MR) vaccine marks the first time Gavi is addressing the two diseases simultaneously, and builds on efforts by the Measles & Rubella Initiative.
Gavi is investing more than US$ 600 million in the fight against measles-rubella through large-scale catch-up campaigns targeting children under 15 years of age. The campaigns aim to catalyse countries to self-finance the introduction of measles-rubella vaccine into their routine immunisation programmes.
The campaigns target children aged 9 months to 14 years and ensure sustainability by embedding MR vaccine into the routine system. This catalytic support will have a sustainable and positive impact on both rubella and measles control efforts.
Gavi’s investment in measles-rubella vaccine builds on its earlier support of US$ 176 million to the Measles Initiative for measles campaigns, and Gavi’s support to countries for introduction of a second dose of measles vaccine into routine immunisation programmes.