Abstract
In recent years and in many countries of the world, particularly in Europe and including France, a resurgence of the well characterized outbreak-prone and potentially deadly disease measles developed. We can speak about it as an outbreak due to the fact that we see a highly increasing number of cases. An outbreak is characterized by the occurrence in a community or region of cases on an illness with a frequency clearly in excess of normal expectancy. For France it was the case that since early of 2008 a preliminary number of 579 notified measles cases contrasted sharply with the low number of notified cases in 2006 (44 cases )and 2007(40 cases). Overall as of April 2011, there have been around 10600 notified cases including three measles-related deaths. There are many different factors that come into play while addressing the root causes and consequences for the measles recurrence.
For the purpose of this work I would like to analyze the health perspectives, as well as the political aspects and factors that led to the resurgence of measles in France and the multi-actor responses to it. I will further analyze whether the focus on the outbreak by officials, authorities and the media has been adequate or not. I will conclude with recommendations of what needs to be done about it and what proactive mechanisms are required. Why did measles resurface again even though it had been seen exceedingly eradicated? Who are the main groups that refuse vaccination and why do people refuse to vaccinate? There are many tangible, medical reasons and non-tangible, underlying reasons socioeconomic and political reasons that generated the incidence.
