12 May 2024 – A donation of 160 measles antibody kits to the Iranian National Measles Reference Laboratory bolsters its capacities to diagnose measles, enhancing the country’s ability to respond effectively to outbreaks. WHO, in collaboration with the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), procured and provided the kits to the National Influenza Center, which serves as the National Measles reference laboratory for measles, rubella and some other respiratory infectious diseases.
Dr Syed Jaffar Hussain, WHO Representative and Head of Mission in the Islamic Republic of Iran, said: “The provision of measles antibody kits to the reference laboratory is a crucial step in strengthening the Islamic Republic of Iran’s ability to detect and respond to measles outbreaks effectively and maintain measles elimination status. This collaboration between WHO and ECHO demonstrates our commitment to support countries in their efforts to combat vaccine-preventable diseases.”
Measles remains a significant public health concern globally, and timely and accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective outbreak response. While local health facilities play a vital role in screening and detecting suspected cases, confirmation by the reference laboratory ensures accuracy and prevents false results.
The donated kits will enable the laboratory to perform confirmatory tests for more than 12 000 suspected measles cases. This significantly enhances the country’s ability to identify and contain outbreaks.
Recent surveillance data show that over half of the measles cases in the country are among Afghan refugees or. The National Immunization Program in the Islamic Republic of Iran intends to build further capacities and a quality control mechanism for laboratory surveillance in some Iranian provinces. This will help reduce the time to diagnosis if measles cases continue to rise.
Since April 2022, the Islamic Republic of Iran has experienced several measles outbreaks following the influx of Afghan refugees and migrants. Thanks to its timely and comprehensive response, however, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been able to keep free of measles as a public health concern.
