WHO: Measles vaccine saves 59 million lives and reduces infections
The World Health Organization, in its latest report, revealed a historic achievement in the field of public health, announcing that global vaccination campaigns have succeeded in reducing cases of measles by a staggering 71%, to only 11 million cases during the period between 2000 and 2024. This announcement documents the success of ongoing international efforts to combat infectious diseases through expanded immunization programs.
Saving millions of lives
The UN agency confirmed that vaccines have not only reduced infection rates but have also played a crucial role in saving lives, preventing nearly 59 million potential deaths globally over the past quarter-century. These figures are compelling evidence of the effectiveness of vaccines as a key preventative tool in global health systems and their ability to protect the most vulnerable, especially children, from the serious complications of this viral disease.
historic low in deaths
In the report, the organization explained that the number of deaths caused by measles saw a sharp decrease of 88%, reaching 95,000 deaths in 2024. This figure is among the lowest annual rates recorded since the beginning of the new millennium, reflecting a remarkable improvement in health coverage and access to medical care in many countries that were previously suffering from an outbreak of the epidemic.
The effects of the coronavirus pandemic and a comparison with 2019
Despite overall progress, the report highlighted remaining challenges, with estimated cases in 2024 rising by 8% compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. This slight increase in cases is attributed to disruptions to global health systems during the pandemic, which in some regions led to delays in routine immunization campaigns. However, a positive development is the 11% decrease in deaths compared to the same period (2019), indicating that treatment programs and medical interventions remain effective in preventing fatal outcomes from the disease.
The importance of measles as a global health threat
Measles is one of the most contagious viral diseases, easily transmitted through the respiratory system. Before the widespread use of vaccines, measles was a leading cause of death among children worldwide. The significance of these new statistics lies in their emphasis on the importance of maintaining immunization programs, as any decline in vaccination coverage could lead to the re-emergence of new outbreaks, threatening the hard-won health gains of recent decades.
