Measles elimination by 2020 - Current status and future challenges in India.

Abstract

India, as a member of the World Health Organization South-East Asia Region, had committed to measles elimination by 2020. Efforts to increase immunization coverage, special immunization activities, and case-based surveillance have been implemented rigorously over the last 7 years, but India has not been able to eliminate measles. Multiple factors led to this namely inadequate vaccination coverage and COVID pandemic and others. The pandemic added its contribution in disruption of vaccine delivery services under Intensified Mission Indradhanush preventing the achievement of the elimination target, in stipulated time. India may need to think beyond strengthening the routine immunization activities and increasing the geographical coverage under Intensified Mission Indradhanush. Promising the future in the measles vaccine delivery system in the form of Measles-Micro-Array-Patches is seen on the horizon may prove to be a game-changer for targeting measles elimination, in the current decade.