assuming full responsibility for all aspects of these life-saving programs, thus bringing about their sustainability for the future.  

Sustainability – the full funding by national governments of children’s health programs initiated by the RVF – is a key part of all RVF health initiatives. In fact, it is the single most important indicator of a successful public health program. We are delighted that the governments of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia recognize the key role of the routine vaccination of children against MMR in promoting the well-being of children by including the necessary funding in their national health budgets. In Azerbaijan full funding of the MMR vaccination program by the ministry of health has been in place since January 2009, while Georgian and Armenian ministries of health will complete the transition from partial to full funding by December 2009.

This development means that in the foreseeable future all children in Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia will continue to be protected against these serious diseases and the societies of these countries will be spared the terrible human and financial toll caused by periodic outbreaks of measles and rubella. The RVF in turn can use its freed up resources for new health initiatives. For more information on the MMR vaccination programs in each country visit our website at www.rostropovich.org