One simple jab? Yes, really.

There’s an epidemic of measles in Swansea. Sadly, one man has lost his life. This is terribly sad. And it made me think about the work that Merlin is doing.

Merlin was born from the passion of three friends who co-founded the charity twenty years ago in 1993.  Created out of a burning desire to help people suffering in the most desperate situations, Merlin’s focus has always been health. A cornerstone of development, giving basic, effective healthcare to people underpins everything we do. One of our founders, Dr Chris Besse, said recently:

“Human beings are the reasons for Merlin’s work and will always be.”

Working in some of the world’s toughest and forgotten places, Merlin’s medical experts focus is on providing access to appropriate, effective and affordable healthcare – on the very real frontline of need. Every year we reach more than 20 million people. Every minute, 23 people are seen by a Merlin health worker. Our strategy is built around the three ‘R’s of Response, Recovery and Resilience. We respond to health needs in humanitarian crises, help communities and countries recover, and build resilience so they can cope better with future emergencies.

Simple vaccines can save millions of lives

One of our key activities is disease control. Immunising children is one of public health’s best buys. Vaccines are cost-effective, offer lifelong protection and are fundamental to development - one of the most effective health investments in history. In a world where 433 children die every day from a preventable disease like measles, simple vaccines can save millions of lives.

And they ensure that healthy people stay healthy. At the moment over 19 million of the world's poorest children do not receive basic life-saving vaccines and as a result, approximately 1.7 million children die each year from vaccine-preventable diseases like measles, polio, tetanus and diphtheria. Measles is a highly contagious, serious disease caused by a virus. It can lead to blindness, deafness and brain damage.

It remains one of the leading causes of death among young children globally, despite a safe and effective vaccine having been around since the 1960’s. It kills 433 children under five every day - that’s 18 children every hour. A simple vaccine can keep a child safe from measles. For life. Vaccination programmes have cut global deaths from measles by 78%.

And Merlin is committed to ensuring that millions more children get these life-saving jabs – putting the needless loss of life from disease at the heart of our global strategy.

One Million in a month

In February 2013 alone Merlin vaccinated more than one million children against measles over just one week across seven provinces in North Kivu, DR Congo. Over the next three years we want to vaccinate millions more. It costs just £1 to vaccinate a child.  Simple solutions can save a life. And you can be a part of this with Merlin. You too can be a force for health.