Take action to prevent measles worldwide

If a highly preventable disease was killing 246 children daily would you advocate for vaccine funding to help eradicate this disease?

Measles is killing 246 children daily, despite being highly preventable through a vaccine that costs less than $2 per child.

Measles seems like a disease of no concern to Iowans, primarily because there hasn't been an outbreak since 2004. According to the Center for Disease Control, the outbreak in 2004 was caused by a student who contracted measles as a result of a non-medical exemption to the vaccine.

Ninety percent of unvaccinated people exposed to measles will contract the disease, so it's no surprise that this unvaccinated student became infected. Luckily, in Iowa, children have access to the measles mumps rubella (MMR) vaccination and measles in North America have been virtually eliminated.

Unfortunately, many children around the world do not have access to this lifesaving vaccine.

There is a solution: funding for global childhood vaccine programs. As a member of the United Nations Foundation's Shot@Life campaign, I have had the opportunity to speak with my legislators about reducing preventable childhood deaths around the world by providing adequate funding for global vaccination programs.

I encourage you to take action to save the lives of children around the world with cost effective vaccinations by sending an email, making a call, or visiting your members of Congress in person. We all have the ability to make a change in the lives of children around the world by advocating for global childhood vaccinations.

Katarina Newcamp

Cedar Rapids