Decreased financial and political commitment was blamed recently for the rash of measles outbreaks in 30 African countries.
If the trend continues, by 2012 some 500,000 may die from measles, reversing the gains of the last 18 years that were made against the disease, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Severe measles can incur complications such as blindness, encephalitis, severe diarrhea and dehydration, ear infections or severe respiratory infections such as pneumonia.
Measles deaths among children under five years old fell to 118,000 in 2008 from 733,000 in 2000.