Twenty thousand young adults from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are working with the Pan American Health Organization and the Guatemalan Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance to help eradicate measles and rubella.
In a ceremony officially launching the anti-measles campaign, Óscar Berger, president of Guatemala, gave the first vaccination to one of the waiting children.
Drawing attention to the free vaccinations, Mormon young adults spent several Saturdays going door-to-door providing information about measles and the benefits of being vaccinated. Additionally, a radio campaign helped spread the word. Over 60 Guatemalan radio stations carried a Church-produced jingle in Spanish, English and other languages spoken in the country.
As a result of the measles vaccination campaign, over 6.5 million Guatemalan men, women and children between the ages of 9 and 39 have been vaccinated."]It is hoped that 7.3 million total will be vaccinated before the campaign ends.
The Church has also provided financial assistance and supplies to the campaign.
The involvement of the Church in the worldwide fight against measles began in 2003. Last year the Church participated in measles vaccination campaigns in Angola, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Uganda and Zimbabwe.