Mass measles vaccination in urban Burkina Faso, 1998

Objective To assess the impact of the National Immunization Days (NIDs) on measles vaccine coverage in Burkina Faso in 1998. Methods During the week after the campaign, in which measles vaccine was of fered to children aged 9-59 months in six cities regardless of vaccination history, a cluster survey was conducted in Ouagadougou and Bobo Dioulasso, the country's two largest cities. Interviewers visited the parents of 1267 children aged up to 59 months and examined vaccination cards. We analysed t he data using cluster sample methodology for the 1041 children who were age d 9-59 months. Findings A total of 604 (57%) children had received routine measles vaccina tion prior to the campaign, and 823 (79%) were vaccinated during the NIDs. Among those who had previously had a routine vaccination, 484 (81%) were re vaccinated during the NIDs. Among those not previously vaccinated, 339 (78% ) received one dose during the NIDs. After the campaign, 943 (91%) children had received at least one dose of measles vaccine. Better socioeconomic st atus was associated with a higher chance of having been vaccinated routinel y, but it was not associated with NID coverage. Conclusion The mass campaign enabled a substantial increase in measles vacc ine coverage to be made because it reached a high proportion of children wh o were difficult to reach through routine methods.