China to Eliminate Measles within Five Years

( 2011-March-3 13:25:22)

China to Eliminate Measles within Five Years

China is poised to eliminate measles over the next five years, as figures show the incidence of the disease in China in 2010 has been dropping by 25.8 percent year on year.

"Prevention and control systems for major diseases will be improved in the 12th Five-Year Program (2011-2015) to basically control malaria and eliminate measles," said China's Health Minister Chen Zhu.

Some 102 million people across China were vaccinated for measles in 2010; the central government allocated more than RMB 150 million in September 2010 to inoculate children aged 8 months to 4 years against the bug.

China also intensified efforts last year to prevent the spread of other major communicable diseases including AIDS, tuberculosis, schistosomiasis and hepatitis B.