The Centre has set a target to cover 41 crore children under Measles- Rubella vaccination campaign by mid of next year. Under it, children of the age of nine months to 15 years will be administered Measles- Rubella vaccine to protect them form the disease. Briefing reporters after the meeting of India Expert Advisory Group on these two diseases, Additional Health Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Panda said, the vaccination campaign has initially been started in five states from 7th of this month. The states are Karnataka,Tamil Nadu,Goa ,Puducherry and Lakshdweep. Mr Panda also said Measles death has declined by 51 percent from 1lakh cases of death in 2000 to 49 thousand in 2015.<br/>'<br/>'Dr Panda said, the rubella vaccine has been introduced as Measles- Rubella vaccine under the campaign and it will tackle the two diseases simultaneously. The expert group comprising national and international expert, has been established to review the measles and rubella burden in the country and provide strategic guidance on the elimination and control of the diseases. 'Measles is a deadly disease and one of the important causes of death in children while Rubella is generally a mild infection, but has serious consequences if infection occurs in pregnant women, causing congenital rubella syndrome.