Progress Toward Measles and Rubella Elimination - India, 2005-2021.

In 2019, India, along with other countries in the World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Region,* adopted the goal of measles and rubella elimination by 2023, a revision of the previous goal of measles elimination and control of rubella and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) by 2020 (1-3). During 2017-2021, India adopted a national strategic plan for measles and rubella elimination (4), introduced rubella-containing vaccine (RCV) into the routine immunization program, launched a nationwide measles-rubella supplementary immunization activity (SIA) catch-up campaign, transitioned from outbreak-based surveillance to case-based acute fever and rash surveillance, and more than doubled the number of laboratories in the measles-rubella network, from 13 to 27. Strategies included 1) achieving and maintaining high population immunity with at least 95% vaccination coverage by providing 2 doses of measles- and rubella-containing vaccines; 2) ensuring a sensitive and timely case-based measles, rubella and CRS surveillance system; 3) maintaining an accredited measles and rubella laboratory network; 4) ensuring adequate outbreak preparedness and rapid response to measles and rubella outbreaks; and 5) strengthening support and linkages to achieve these strategies, including planning and progress monitoring, advocacy, social mobilization and communication, identification and utilization of synergistic linkages of integrated program efforts, research, and development.

Laboratory-identified vancomycin-resistant enterococci bacteremia incidence: A standardized infection ratio prediction model.

Background: We analyzed 2017 healthcare facility-onset (HO) vancomycin-resistant (VRE) bacteremia data to identify hospital-level factors that were significant predictors of HO-VRE using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) multidrug-resistant organism and reporting module. A risk-adjusted model that can be used to calculate the number of predicted HO-VRE bacteremia events in a facility was developed, thus enabling the calculation of VRE standardized infection ratios (SIRs).

Methods: Acute-care hospitals reporting at least 1 month of 2017 VRE bacteremia data were included in the analysis.

Integration of healthcare programs: a long-term policy perspective for a sustainable HIV program for India.

With the Government of India's initiative to ensure Universal Access to health through its flagship program of National Rural Health Mission, the debate on the economic efficiency and sustainability of a 'stand-alone' over 'integrated' programs has become extremely relevant. This study was conducted with the aim to establish opinion on the issue of sustainability of 'stand-alone' HIV program in India. Experts working on health policy development and implementation at various were interviewed on this issue and majority of experts interviewed were of the opinion that a 'stand-alone' HIV program is not sustainable in the long run because of inefficient use of resources.