UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) – Just under 100 million children across China will be vaccinated against measles in one of the world’s largest public health exercises in an effort to eliminating the disease by 2012, two United Nations agencies announced on Wednesday.

“China is a priority country in the global fight against measles and we commend the Government for its leadership in this life-saving work,” World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in China Michael O’Leary said. The vaccination campaign will start on September 11 and run until September 20, WHO and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said in a joint statement.

Last year, over 52,000 people in China were reported to have contracted measles, which accounted for around 86 percent of the measles cases in WHO’s Western Pacific region. Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that affects both children and young adults. Most individuals recover from measles infection, though some may suffer serious complications such as blindness, encephalitis, severe diarrhea, pneumonia, and ear infections.

Measles is a leading cause of avoidable death and disability among children in developing countries. Over 164,000 people died from measles in 2008, of which were mostly children under the age of five. The measles campaign in China is among the first steps to address gaps in vaccination coverage around the world.

“We encourage all parents to take their children to the closest vaccination clinic during the campaign period. This huge nationwide effort will produce significant benefits for child survival,” Yin Yin New, UNICEF Representative for China, said.

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