Written question asked by Julie Kirkbride (Conservative) on Thursday, 8 February 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 26 March 2001. It was answered by Yvette Cooper (Labour) on Monday, 26 March 2001 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what commitment Her Majesty's Government has made to the WHO on measures to eradicate measles; and what timescale is proposed for achieving its eradication. - Including figure.

Answer: Miss Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what commitment Her Majesty's Government have made to the WHO on measures to eradicate measles; and what time scale is proposed for achieving its eradication. [150176] Yvette Cooper: There is no World Health Organisation (WHO) strategy to eradicate measles nor a target date to achieve eradication. No commitments have therefore been made to WHO. The United Kingdom has set a target of 95 per cent. measles mumps rubella vaccine uptake as this, based on guidance from WHO, is the level of uptake required to avoid outbreaks of measles, mumps and rubella. This level is sufficient to prevent long-term accumulation of pools of susceptible individuals that provide the opportunity for transmission of these diseases.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 365 c449W;365 c451W; 150176
Session: 2000-01
Subjects: Disease control Vaccination MMR vaccine World Health Organization Measles
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk