Better surveillance and vaccine coverage are needed to eliminate measles in India by 2020

India will fail in its pledge to eliminate measles by 20201 without a better case based surveillance system, a steady availability of vaccines, high vaccine coverage, and extended laboratory facilities, an expert has said.

In 2011 measles claimed about 56 000 lives in India, accounting for a third of the global burden from the disease.2 At the 66th session of the World Health Organization Regional Committee for South East Asia in 2013 India was among the 11 member states that pledged to eliminate measles …