The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported that global immunisation efforts have contributed to an 88% reduction in measles-related deaths between 2000 and 2024, saving nearly 59 million lives worldwide.
“However, an estimated 95,000 people, mostly children under five, died from measles in 2024,” WHO said on Friday, noting that every death from a preventable disease remained unacceptable despite progress achieved.
“In spite of fewer deaths, measles infections are surging globally, with an estimated 11 million cases in 2024, almost 800,000 higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019,” the organisation added, highlighting persistent gaps in vaccination coverage.
WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said measles was the world’s most contagious virus, warning that it exploited any weaknesses in collective immunisation, emphasising the urgent need for action to protect every child and community.
“Measles does not respect borders, but full vaccination of every child prevents outbreaks, saves lives, and can eliminate the disease entirely from nations,” Ghebreyesus said, stressing global vaccination equity as crucial.
He noted measles cases surged 86 per cent in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 47 per cent in Europe, and 42 per cent in South-East Asia in 2024 compared to pre-pandemic levels.
Conversely, Mr Ghebreyesus said the African Region experienced a 40 per cent decline in cases and a 50 per cent reduction in deaths, largely due to improved immunisation coverage and public health interventions.
“While mortality may be lower in high-income countries, infected individuals still risk blindness, pneumonia, and encephalitis, resulting in lifelong complications in spite of advances in healthcare and nutrition,” he warned, calling for continued vigilance.
“WHO estimates show that in 2024, 84 per cent of children received the first measles vaccine dose, but only 76 per cent received the second dose, leaving millions under-protected against infection.
“This represents a slight improvement from 2023, with two million additional children immunised, but the 95 per cent threshold for measles elimination is still unmet,” Ghebreyesus said, urging stronger global immunisation efforts.
He said more than 30 million children remained under-protected, most in African and Eastern Mediterranean regions, often in fragile, conflict-affected, or underserved communities, creating gaps that facilitated ongoing outbreaks.
“The Immunisation Agenda 2030 Mid-Term Review shows measles resurges first when vaccination coverage drops, highlighting weaknesses in immunisation systems that threaten progress toward elimination goals,” he added, calling for urgent corrective measures.
In 2024, 59 countries reported large or disruptive outbreaks, the highest number since the COVID-19 pandemic, underscoring that measles remains a persistent threat even where vaccination rates are high overall.
“All regions except the Americas experienced at least one major outbreak in 2024, though the Americas faced renewed outbreaks in 2025, showing the fragility of elimination efforts globally,” Ghebreyesus said.
He highlighted improvements in surveillance, noting that more than 760 laboratories in the Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network tested over 500,000 samples in 2024, a 27% increase from the previous year.
“However, deep funding cuts threaten immunisation programmes and laboratory networks, risking immunity gaps and future outbreaks unless sustainable domestic financing and partnerships are secured,” Mr Ghebreyesus warned.
He said that by the end of 2024, 81 countries had eliminated measles, just three more than before the pandemic, with 96 countries verified for elimination globally following recent updates in 2025, according to the WHO.
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“Even high-income countries experience resurgences when local vaccination drops below 95 per cent, leaving unprotected pockets at risk and enabling outbreaks in spite of high national coverage,” Mr Ghebreyesus explained.
He emphasised that measles elimination necessitated a strong political commitment, sustained investment, and comprehensive strategies to ensure that all children received two doses, while robust surveillance detected outbreaks promptly.
He said the IA2030 Mid-Term Review urged countries and partners to strengthen routine immunisation, surveillance, rapid response capabilities, and high-coverage campaigns to protect every child until vaccination coverage was sufficient to prevent transmission.
(NAN)
