{{Short description|Multi-national immunization program}} <!-- Add measles info! --> <!-- Add NM info! --> '''Operation MECACAR''' (currently known as '''MECACAR New Millennium''') is a multi-national immunization program launched in 1995 by the World Health Organization to coordinate polio vaccination efforts (currently it is also used to coordinated measles and rubella vaccination efforts). The name of the operation was derived from the names of the regions participating in the operation: Eastern Mediterranean, Caucasus, Central Asian Republics and Russia.<ref name="Poliohistory">[http://www.polioeradication.org/history.asp Polio eradication history] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070428220435/http://www.polioeradication.org/history.asp |date=2007-04-28 }} - Last accessed June 1, 2007.</ref> Currently, 18 countries are participating and more than 60 million children have been vaccinated.<ref name="15May2007Pressnote">[http://www.euro.who.int/PressRoom/pressnotes/20070515_1 Operation MECACAR – New Millennium. Eighteen countries and WHO join forces to fight poliomyelitis and measles] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070729061421/http://www.euro.who.int/PressRoom/pressnotes/20070515_1 |date=2007-07-29 }}. World Health Organization, last accessed July 9, 2007.</ref>
==Concept== The operation was launched to "''maximize the geographic area covered and the number of children targeted simultaneously for mass vaccination with OPV''".<ref name="Massoral">[https://www.cdc.gov/mmwR/preview/mmwrhtml/00036667.htm Mass Vaccination with Oral Poliovirus Vaccine] - CDC, Last accessed June 1, 2007.</ref> It introduced "National Immunization Days", held at the same dates in bordering member countries; and also coordinated the efforts of different laboratories.
==History== ===MECACAR New Millennium=== After Europe was declared polio-free in 2002, MECACAR's objectives became maintaining polio-free status in the region and also achieve measles and rubella elimination.<ref name="VaccinprevMNM">[http://www.euro.who.int/vaccine/20030724_13 Vaccine-preventable Diseases and Immunization] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070729061315/http://www.euro.who.int/vaccine/20030724_13 |date=2007-07-29 }}. World Health Organization, last accessed July 9, 2007.</ref> On May 17, 2007, the MECACAR New Millennium declaration was signed. The event took place in Geneva.<ref name="15May2007Pressnote" />
==Effectivity== {{Empty section|date=July 2010}} ==Reception== {{Empty section|date=July 2010}} ==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.euro.who.int/vaccine/diseases/20090205_9 MECACAR - successful collaboration across borders]{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} * [http://www.euro.who.int/vaccine/diseases/20090205_10 The MECACAR Declaration]{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
Category:World Health Organization