Measles vaccine saves nearly 59 million lives, deaths down by 88 pc since 2000: WHO

New Delhi, Nov 28 (IANS) Nearly 59 million lives have been saved by the measles vaccine, and there has been an 88 per cent drop in measles deaths between 2000 and 2024, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday.

The report credited the global immunisation efforts for achieving the feat.

Despite fewer deaths, it showed measles cases are surging worldwide, with an estimated 11 million infections in 2024 — nearly 800,000 more than pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

An estimated 95,000 people, mostly children younger than 5 years of age, also died due to measles in 2024.

“Measles is the world’s most contagious virus, and these data show once again how it will exploit any gap in our collective defences against it,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

“Measles does not respect borders, but when every child in every community is vaccinated against it, costly outbreaks can be avoided, lives can be saved, and this disease can be eliminated from entire nations,” he added.

According to WHO guidance, at least 95 per cent coverage with two measles vaccine doses is required to stop transmission and protect communities from outbreaks.

In 2024, an estimated 84 per cent of children received their first dose of the measles vaccine, and only 76 per cent received the second, according to WHO/UNICEF estimates.

This is a slight improvement from the previous year, with 2 million more children immunised.

Interestingly, the report noted that the African Region experienced a 40 per cent decline in cases and 50 per cent decline in deaths in 2024 compared with 2019.

In contrast, measles cases increased by 86 per cent in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, 47 per cent in the European Region, and 42 per cent in the South-East Asian Region.

The report also noted large or disruptive measles outbreaks in 59 countries — nearly triple the number reported in 2021 and the highest since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, “exposing weaknesses in immunisation programmes and health systems globally”.

Alarmingly, more than 30 million children remained under-protected against measles in 2024.

The report also cited deep funding cuts affecting country immunisation programmes, which can widen immunity gaps and drive further outbreaks in the coming year.

To date, 96 countries have eliminated measles, said the report, adding that the world measles elimination goal, by 2030, remains a distant one.

–IANS

rvt/