Through the sheer will of its political leadership DPR Korea has maintained high immunization coverage,

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Through the sheer will of its political leadership DPR Korea has maintained high immunization coverage,

established an effective surveillance system and instituted collective responsibility of health workers and

community. As a result, the country has surged forward to be at the forefront of the fight against measles.

Measles

at a Glance

DPR Korea, 2018

Measles surveillance

What made DPR Korea successful in combating measles?

 Strong leadership

 Careful planning and implementati on

 Strong health system

 A passionate workforce that took ownership of the programme

 Community parti cipati on

 Quality assurance

 Careful monitoring

Serum sample with serology result within 4 days of sample receipt in the

laboratory reporti ng sites for measles and rubella

senti nel sites for congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) surveillance

accredited measles and rubella laboratory

Serum samples received in laboratory within

5 days of sample collecti on

Suspected cases with serological

testi ng Suspected cases

with fever and rash Provinces meeti ng

discarded non-measles, non-rubella rate of 2 or more per 100 000

populati on

Suspected cases with

serum samples collected Discarded non

measles non- rubella rate per 100,000 populati on

7954

222

1

Household doctors located at the Ri clinics visit the

community every day

AcƟ ve case search

AnƟ -epidemic doctors conduct detailed invesƟ gaƟ on

of detected cases

Surveillance performance

indicators (2015–2017)

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Coverage of 1st and 2nd doses of measles vaccine and no. of measles cases (2002-2016)

Measles cases Routi ne coverage MCV-1

Significant events

106

total suspected cases

106

discarded cases (non-measles,non-

rubella)

0

cases classifi ed as measles

0

cases classifi ed as rubella

0

clinically measles or rubella compati ble

Findings of suspected measles

cases in 2017

DPR Korea took cognizance of the thr

eat measles posed to its citi zens, introducing the measles- containing vaccine (MCV) into its health system in 1968. With the launch of the EPI in the early 1980s

and combined eﬀ orts of all leaders, health workers and community members to contain the virus, no

sporadic incident or outbreak has been reported since 2014. Coordinati on with internati onal establishments has also helped the country to strive towards achieving a high level of populati on

immunity against the dreaded disease.

25 030 070

Total populati on

17.68/1 000

Under-fi ve mortality

1 696 094

Under-fi ve populati on

3

Directly governed citi es

12

Provinces

DPR Korea: An overview

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Routi ne coverage MCV-2 SIA coverage 100

80

60

40

20

0

Year

3550

Coverage

Introducti on of disease surveillance for

measles and rubella

2006

Nati onwide MCV SIA for individuals aged 6 months–

45 years subsequent to successfully managing a huge

measles outbreak 2007

Introducti on of MCV2;

fi rst accreditati on of the Nati onal Laboratory

for MR by WHO 2008

Country’s surveillance system ably detects three imported cases of measles

from neighbouring country

2014

MR SIA for children aged 12 months–16 years in

selected areas 2015-2016

Verifi cati on that DPR Korea has eliminated measles

2018

Introducti on of MCV1 with domesti c vaccine

1967 1997

Switch to WHO prequalifi ed MCV

MCV: Measles-containing vaccine SIA: Supplementary immunizati on acti vity MR: Measles–rubella

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