Joint WHO and ECDC subregional meeting on verification of measles and rubella elimination in the WHO European Region
The European Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella Elimination (RVC), chairpersons of national verification committees (NVCs), and national measles focal points from selected northern and western European Member States, met at a subregional meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark, from 29 to 30 January 2013. The objectives of the meeting were:
- to update newly established NVCs on the framework and the process of verification of measles and rubella elimination in the WHO European Region;
- to review performance indicators of measles and rubella elimination and availability of relevant data in participating Member States;
- to review the terms of reference for the NVCs;
- to review operational procedures for the NVCs and their relationship with the RVC and the WHO secretariat;
- to discuss the use of the verification process to accelerate actions towards the measles and rubella elimination goals, including increasing vaccination coverage with measles- and rubella-containing vaccines and strengthening surveillance.
The expected results of the meeting were:
- to increase knowledge and understanding by the participating countries of the verification process of measles and rubella elimination in the WHO European Region;
- to increase knowledge and understanding of the RVC with regards to national capacities to document measles and rubella elimination in line with the framework;
- to establish collaboration of NVCs and ministries of health with the RVC to facilitate setting up of NVCs, data collection and producing of annual status reports;
- to recognize actions needed to increase vaccination coverage in the Member States through routine and/or supplemental immunization activities.
