09/11/2019
Press Bulletin No. 144, 2019
- The M&RI assured that Colombia's efforts to face this challenge arising from migration are a global example on how to eliminate these diseases.
Washington (USA), September 11, 2019. The Ministry of Health and Social Protection received an important distinction on Wednesday for the efforts made, together with the national Government, to combat measles and rubella, especially in relation to the care provided to Venezuelan migrants and in preventing epidemics in the country and in the region.
In Washington, Minister Juan Pablo Uribe received the award from the Measles & Rubella Initiative (M&RI), comprising the American Red Cross (USA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), UNICEF, the United Nations Foundation and the World Health Organization (WHO).
M&RI said the award is a recognition of Colombia's commitment to the initiative's mission, "the impact of its efforts against measles and rubella, and the positive example it inspires to achieve the goals of eliminating these diseases."
Among the characteristics commended by M&RI are the generosity and solidarity-which inspire the world–by Colombia and its health sector in relation to the additional efforts made throughout the territory to protect Venezuelan migrants, and national and regional public health.
After receiving the distinction, Uribe said that the award emphasizes the importance of the vaccination events organized by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection throughout the country, and the plans it has put in place for the containment of measles and rubella, which can cause death in children under 5 and cause babies to be born with congenital rubella syndrome.
"We have made great efforts to face the challenge posed by these diseases, not only in our fellow citizens but also in Venezuelan migrants, with the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI). The country has administered 1.2 million additional vaccines for the care of this population and it has conducted more than 10,000 studies on doubtful measles tests," said the Minister.
Additional vaccines for migrants have cost US$7.95 million. It is estimated that US$1.17 billion will be invested in the health sector response plan related to migration over the next three years.
The award, the Minister noted, is the result of Colombia's undertakings and the health care human talent. "It is a recognition that we want to share with all the Health Offices, the public ESEs, the nursing assistants and nurses who are part of the EPI. We have endeavored unceasingly for many years to raise vaccination levels, which in the last year and a half have had to be redoubled because of the challenge of migration, but the results have been acclaimed worldwide. It is a nice tribute to that effort that we must all sustain," he said.
In 1993 the country began mass vaccination for measles; and in 2016 it was declared free from rubella and measles by the International Expert Committee for Documenting and Verifying Measles, Rubella, and Congenital Rubella Syndrome Elimination in the Americas.
However, cases of imported measles have been reported in 2019 and in previous years, as a result of the challenges of mass migration of citizens of other countries, such as Venezuela, where it is difficult to obtain vaccines to protect against the disease.
