PHOTO CREDIT: © UNICEF/U.S. CDC/UN0684458/Saleh Hayyan

As deadly measles outbreaks surge and millions of children remain unprotected, global health leaders came together to deliver one message: we can stop this—if we act now.

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND — May 29, 2025 — Amid a resurgence of measles and persistent immunization gaps, strengthening immunization programs is an urgent global priority to protect children and their communities everywhere. 

The measles vaccine has saved more lives than any other vaccine. Yet with measles cases surging across every region—a  trend fueled in part by COVID-19 disruptions that drove vaccination coverage to its lowest level in over a decade—the urgency to raise coverage is stark. In 2023 alone, more than 22 million children missed their first measles vaccine dose globally and over 107,000 people, mostly children under 5, died from measles. Meanwhile, rubella remains a leading preventable cause of birth defects; each year an estimated 32,000 babies are born with congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) and up to a third of them will die before their first birthday.

“The Measles & Rubella Partnership has been a backbone of measles and rubella programs, surveillance and outbreak response across the world,” said Dr Razia Pendse, chef de cabinet at the World Health Organization (WHO), in her remarks at the event. “Yet, these gains are fragile. Measles is making a dangerous comeback threatening communities, economies and global health security. We must remain steadfast in our commitment to investing in measles vaccination and other vaccines, investments that will lead healthier children, communities, and a more resilient future for people of all ages.”

To protect children and their communities, Dr. Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, committed to bold action if the organization’s targets for its ongoing replenishment are met. Gavi supports lower-income countries with routine and preventive measles and rubella vaccination as well as outbreak response. “In 2025, Gavi will be supporting no fewer than 21 countries to implement preventive measles or measles and rubella campaigns in which we hope to reach more than 265 million children, and we will continue to support outbreak response with vaccines and funding. However, the future is at stake: a fully funded Gavi from 2026 onwards is critical to our ability to help countries save lives and prevent and control outbreaks through the Measles & Rubella Partnership.”

Global health leaders convened on May 23rd at the United Nations Palais des Nations for an official World Health Assembly side event titled “The Power of Prevention – Immunizing for a Safer, Healthier World.” The high-level meeting, held during the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA78), focused on accelerating global immunization efforts and promoting equity in vaccine access. The event was co-hosted by Oman, Somalia, the Gates Foundation, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), UNICEF, and the United Nations Foundation on behalf of the Measles & Rubella Partnership. 

The meeting was moderated by Mr. Jarrett Barrios, senior vice president, Service to Armed Forces and International Services of the American Red Cross. In addition to speakers from many of the co-hosting countries and organizations, representatives from the ministries of health for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mali joined the discussion along with regional directors from the WHO African Region and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). 

A key focus of the discussion was WHO’s revised rubella vaccine recommendation. The new recommendation no longer requires countries to reach 80% measles vaccine coverage target before introducing a combined measles and rubella vaccine. This means all countries can now introduce the rubella vaccine as part of their routine immunization programs. This landmark policy change creates a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to prevent CRS cases and deadly measles outbreaks through combined measles-rubella vaccination campaigns for children aged 9 months to 14 years.  

“Today, nearly all cases of congenital rubella syndrome occur in just 13 low- and middle-income countries – countries that have not yet introduced rubella-containing vaccines. This can change with the new WHO recommendation for universal rubella vaccination,” said Mr. Jagan Chapagain, IFRC secretary general. “If coverage with the combined measles and rubella vaccine increases, we could prevent more than 100,000 deaths annually.” 

The session also included a moving personal testimony from Ms. Grace Melia, an Indonesian mother who recently lost her daughter after a 12-year battle against the devastating effects of congenital rubella. Ms. Melia concluded her testimony with these poignant words: “They say knowledge is power. With all due respect, knowledge applied into action would be much more powerful. And I hope we are all here today to be part of that action.”

Global health leaders and country representatives responded to Ms. Melia’s call to put knowledge into action and reaffirmed their commitment to reach every child with vaccines as part of achieving measles and rubella elimination. “The WHO African Region has the largest burden of vaccine preventable diseases and deaths in the world,” said Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, WHO acting regional director for Africa. “I reflect the thoughts of many people in this room that will leave this session today re-energized to go back and do the work we have to do.”  

Dr. Ali Haji Adam Abubakar, minister of health and human services for the Federal Republic of Somalia committed to introducing the combined measles and rubella vaccine with support from international partners. “Let us remember, immunization is not merely a health intervention,” Dr. Abubakar said. “It is a peace event, it is a development accelerator and it is a testament to the resiliency of our communities. Together, let us organize for a safer and healthier world.” 

Oman eliminated measles and rubella in 2019, which Dr. Hilal bin Ali bin Halil Alsabti, minister of health of Oman called, “an achievement grounded in science, strong systems and sustained commitment to public health.” However, Dr. Alsabti highlighted that elimination is not merely a technical success. “It is a blessing of equity, resilience and public trust in the health system. It represents our belief that no one should suffer or die from a preventable disease. While elimination is a major milestone, sustained vigilance, investment and partnership are crucial to preventing losses and helping other countries to achieve the same goal.”

The Americas is the only region that achieved the elimination certification of measles transmission for the first time in 2016, regaining that status recently in 2024. Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, Director of the Pan American Health Organization, cautioned that this achievement is at risk: “We rapidly moved from 73 confirmed cases in 2023 to more than 4,500 in the first five months of 2025, concentrated in Canada, the USA, and Mexico, putting high stress again on the elimination status, and that stress will continue unless we achieve eradication.”

Dr. Nishtar underscored the importance of strengthening routine immunization to achieve measles control. “The highly contagious nature of the measles virus enables it to exploit gaps in routine immunization programs and blind spots in disease surveillance. These are the challenges we must face. And if we can face them together in the spirit of partnership, we will prevail.” 

 

About Measles & Rubella Partnership (M&RP)

M&RP is a global initiative to lead and coordinate efforts to achieve a world without measles and rubella. It is led by the American Red Cross, the Gates Foundation, Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, the United Nations Foundation, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF and the World Health Organization. The M&RP aims to achieve a world without measles and rubella by supporting countries to raise coverage of measles, rubella and other vaccines; fund, plan, implement and monitor quality supplementary campaigns; investigate outbreaks and provide technical and financial support for effective outbreak response, propose and participate in solutions to strengthen immunization delivery; and support a global laboratory network for measles and rubella.