Why you should read this article:

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To understand the factors that can lead to a measles outbreak

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To familiarise yourself with the benefits of a vaccination programme

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To improve your knowledge of the measures that can prevent a measles outbreak

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. In late 2019, Samoa experienced an epidemic of measles, which resulted in overwhelming pressure on local healthcare services and a significant number of deaths. Gaining control of the epidemic required assistance from healthcare professionals from other countries and the implementation of a vaccination programme.

This article will review the series of events that led up to the outbreak and consider the role of primary healthcare, policymakers and governments in preventing a measles outbreak elsewhere in the world.