By Joke Kujenya
GLOBAL IMMUNISATION campaigns have prevented an estimated 59 million measles deaths since 2000, yet infections surged in 2024, highlighting persistent gaps in vaccination coverage and public health systems, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported.
WHO revealed that around 95,000 people, predominantly children under five, died from measles in 2024.
The organisation described any death from a vaccine-preventable disease as unacceptable, noting that tools to eliminate measles are widely available.
Data recently released by WHO indicated global measles infections rose to roughly 11 million in 2024, nearly 800,000 more than pre-pandemic levels recorded in 2019.
The increase was linked to disruptions in routine immunisation programmes, vaccine hesitancy, unequal access to vaccines, and residual effects of COVID-19 on health systems.
WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, emphasised measles as “the most contagious virus known to humans” and warned it “exploits every weakness in immunisation coverage.”
He stressed that full vaccination, particularly completing two recommended doses, can prevent outbreaks entirely, save lives, and ultimately eliminate the disease from any country.
Ghebreyesus called for renewed political will, greater investment, and global vaccination equity to close immunity gaps.
He said regional trends in 2024 demonstrated uneven progress against the disease.
The Eastern Mediterranean Region experienced an 86% rise in cases, Europe recorded a 47% increase, and South-East Asia saw a 42% jump compared with pre-pandemic levels, he added.
In contrast, the African Region reported a 40% decline in cases and a 50% reduction in measles deaths, improvements attributed to intensified immunisation drives and targeted public health interventions.
Ghebreyesus noted that even in high-income countries, measles can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia, blindness, and encephalitis, despite advanced healthcare systems and nutrition.
He observed that outbreaks persist when localised areas fall below recommended vaccination coverage, undermining national and global progress.
Also, WHO estimates indicated that 84% of children worldwide received their first dose of the measles vaccine in 2024, while only 76% received the second, crucial dose.
Although this represented a modest increase from 2023, with two million additional children vaccinated, it remained well below the 95% coverage required to halt transmission and achieve elimination.
WHO also highlighted that over 30 million children remain under-protected, particularly in African and Eastern Mediterranean regions, where ongoing conflicts, fragile health systems, and remote communities heighten vulnerability to outbreaks.
The WHO’s Immunisation Agenda 2030 (IA2030) Mid-Term Review noted that measles typically resurges first when immunisation coverage drops, signalling systemic weaknesses that threaten long-term elimination targets.
In 2024, 59 countries reported large or disruptive outbreaks, the highest number since the COVID-19 pandemic, underscoring the ongoing global risk even in nations with high overall vaccination rates.
The Americas remained the only region without a major outbreak in 2024, though WHO reported renewed measles flare-ups in 2025, demonstrating that elimination gains are fragile without sustained vaccination and surveillance.
WHO noted progress in laboratory monitoring, with more than 760 laboratories in its Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network testing over 500,000 samples in 2024-a 27% increase from 2023.
The organisation warned that funding reductions could compromise laboratory capacity, immunisation programmes, and outbreak preparedness unless domestic financing and international partnerships are strengthened.
By the end of 2024, 81 countries had achieved measles elimination, an increase of only three since before the pandemic. Following new updates in 2025, 96 countries were verified for elimination globally.
WHO stressed that even high-income countries face dangerous resurgences when local vaccination rates fall below 95%, leaving unprotected communities exposed to rapid spread.
Ghebreyesus also reiterated that achieving measles elimination requires strong political commitment, sustained investment, and comprehensive strategies to ensure every child receives both recommended vaccine doses.
He urged nations to strengthen routine immunisation, improve disease surveillance and rapid response systems, expand high-coverage vaccination campaigns, and guarantee that no child is left unprotected regardless of location or circumstance.
