Measles control in Kinshasa, Zaire improved with high coverage and use of medium titre Edmonston Zagreb vaccine at age 6 months.

Background: To improve measles control in Kinshasa, Zaire, a project to increase vaccine coverage was begun in 1988, and in 1989, the city vaccination programme changed measles vaccination policy from Schwartz vaccine at age 9 months to medium titre Edmonston Zagreb (EZ) vaccine at age 6 months. We report the impact of the programme on measles incidence and mortality.

Methods: Data on vaccine coverage were obtained from cluster sample surveys conducted every 1-2 years and from routine reports of vaccine doses administered.