MR Immunization

Strategy: Achieve and maintain at least 95% vaccination coverage with two doses of measles and rubella containing vaccines within each district of each country in the Region, through routine and/or supplementary immunization.

Progress: As of December 2021, children in all eleven countries have access to two-doses of measles containing vaccine (MCV) and at least one dose of rubella-containing vaccine in routine immunization.

The coverage of first dose of measles containing vaccine across the Region has shown a significant decline from 94% in 2019 to 88% in 2020 and the coverage for second dose of measles containing vaccine declined from 83% in 2019 to 78% in 2020. Similarly, the coverage of rubella containing vaccine declined from 93% in 2019 to 87% in 2020. 

All countries have conducted a supplementary immunization activity (SIA) using measles and rubella containing vaccine to close the immunity gap due to sub-optimal coverage in routine immunization. An estimated 550 million additional children have been reached through SIA with measles containing vaccine between 2013 and 2020, approximately 98% of the targeted for the period.