| WHO: | The Directors of the Pan American Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the heads of the U.S. National Immunization Program and PAHO's Division of Vaccines and Immunization, and other officials. |
|---|---|
| WHAT: | A historic announcement, in which PAHO and CDC will be joining forces, launching a collaborative effort to eradicate measles from the Americas. |
| WHERE: | Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Headquarters, 525 23rd Street NW, (corner of Virginia Ave.) Washington, in Room A, on the 2nd floor. |
| WHEN: | Friday, April 30, at 10:00 a.m. |
| WHY: | In September 1994, the Pan American Sanitary Conference established the target of Measles Eradication from the Americas by the year 2000. PAHO then put into place a Plan of Action for the Eradication of Measles from the Americas by the year 2000, which calls for sustained vaccination of children and intensive detection of any suspected measles case anywhere in the Western Hemisphere. Progress to date has been tremendous. So far in 1999, fewer than 200 cases have been reported in all Member States. We now face a critical juncture in this initiative. Transmission is on the verge of being interrupted in most countries, but the Region of the Americas faces the danger of importations, and surveillance needs to be improved in several countries. This will require that we redouble our efforts and increase the technical and financial resources to be applied to completing the job. |
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Headquarters
525 23rd Street NW, Washington, D.C.
Friday, April 30
| 10 a.m. | Welcome Remarks: Dr. David Brandling-Bennett,
Deputy Director, PAHO The Global Burden of Measles: Dr. Samuel Katz, Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Status of Measles in the USA: Dr. Walter Orenstein, Director, National Immunization Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Eradication of Measles in the Americas: present status: Dr. Ciro de Quadros, Director, Division of Vaccines and Immunization, PAHO |
| 10:45 a.m. | Signing of Agreement |
| 11:00 a.m. | Remarks: Dr. Jeffrey Koplan, Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Dr. George A.O. Alleyne, Director, PAHO |