Measles – World Health Organization (WHO)

Report on Measles and its Impact on Global Health Objectives

Measles remains a significant global health threat, posing a direct challenge to the achievement of international development targets. This report outlines the nature of the disease, its transmission, prevention strategies, and the global response, with a specific focus on its implications for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The persistence of measles directly undermines progress towards SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. The impact is most pronounced in the following target areas:

• Target 3.2: End preventable deaths of newborns and children under five years of age. The estimated 95,000 measles deaths in 2024, predominantly among unvaccinated children under five, represent a critical failure in preventing avoidable child mortality. Each death is a setback for this global target.
• Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage (UHC). Routine immunization is a cornerstone of primary healthcare and a key indicator of UHC. Gaps in measles vaccination coverage, with only 84% of children receiving a first dose in 2024, highlight weaknesses in health systems’ ability to deliver essential services to all populations.

Measles outbreaks strain fragile health infrastructures, diverting resources from other essential health services and impeding overall progress toward SDG 3.

Disease Profile and Transmission

Overview

Measles is a highly contagious, serious airborne disease caused by a virus. It infects the respiratory tract and subsequently spreads throughout the body. While it can affect anyone, it is most common in children.

Symptoms and Complications

Initial symptoms typically appear 10–14 days after exposure and include a high fever, cough, and runny nose. The characteristic rash appears several days later. Most measles-related fatalities are due to complications, which can be severe.

• Blindness
• Encephalitis (brain infection leading to swelling and potential brain damage)
• Severe diarrhoea and dehydration
• Ear infections
• Pneumonia and other severe respiratory problems

Transmission Dynamics

Measles is one of the world’s most contagious viruses, spreading through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can remain active and contagious in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours. An infected individual can transmit the virus from four days before the rash appears to four days after.

Vulnerable Populations and Risk Factors

Any non-immune individual is at risk of infection. However, certain groups face a higher risk of severe disease and death, hindering equitable health outcomes as envisioned by the SDGs.

• Unvaccinated Young Children: This group is the most vulnerable to severe complications and death.
• Pregnant Persons: Infection during pregnancy poses risks to both mother and fetus, including premature birth and low birth weight.
• Populations in Low-Income and Conflict-Affected Regions: The majority of measles deaths occur in countries with weak health infrastructure, often exacerbated by natural disasters or conflict that disrupt routine immunization services.
• Malnourished Individuals: Children with malnutrition, particularly Vitamin A deficiency, or weakened immune systems are at a significantly higher risk of death.

Prevention and Management Strategies

Primary Prevention: Vaccination

Widespread immunization is the most effective public health strategy against measles and is essential for achieving SDG 3. The measles vaccine is safe, cost-effective, and has been in use for approximately 60 years.

1. Vaccination Schedule: Two doses are recommended to ensure immunity. The first is typically given at 9-15 months of age, and the second at 15-18 months.
2. Global Impact: Accelerated immunization activities averted an estimated 59 million deaths between 2000 and 2024.
3. Coverage Gaps: In 2024, approximately 30 million infants remained under-protected. Global first-dose coverage stood at 84%, below the 2019 level of 86%, indicating a backslide in progress.

Clinical Management and Treatment

There is no specific antiviral treatment for measles. Supportive care is critical to manage symptoms and prevent severe complications.

• Symptom Relief: Care focuses on ensuring adequate fluid intake to prevent dehydration and maintaining good nutrition.
• Secondary Infections: Antibiotics may be prescribed to treat secondary bacterial infections such as pneumonia and ear infections.
• Vitamin A Supplementation: Two doses of vitamin A are recommended for all children with measles to reduce the risk of eye damage and blindness and lower the number of deaths.

Global Response and Strategic Framework

WHO and Partner Initiatives

The global health community, led by the World Health Organization (WHO), has established frameworks to guide the fight against measles, directly supporting the Immunization Agenda 2021–2030. This agenda positions measles control as a tracer of a health system’s capacity to deliver essential vaccines, a key component of SDG 3.

The IA2030 Measles & Rubella Partnership

The Immunization Agenda 2030 Measles & Rubella Partnership (M&RP) is a global coalition including WHO, UNICEF, CDC, and others. Its mission is to ensure no child dies from measles or is born with congenital rubella syndrome by helping countries plan, fund, and measure efforts to eliminate these diseases.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article primarily addresses issues related to Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3): Good Health and Well-being. Additionally, it touches upon Sustainable Development Goal 17 (SDG 17): Partnerships for the Goals through its discussion of global collaborative efforts.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The entire article is focused on measles, a serious infectious disease. It discusses its causes, symptoms, prevention through vaccination, and its impact on global health, particularly child mortality. The core theme is the effort to combat a communicable disease and reduce preventable deaths, which is central to SDG 3.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article explicitly mentions the collaborative work of various international organizations. It highlights the “Immunization Agenda 2030 Measles & Rubella Partnership (M&RP),” which includes the American Red Cross, United Nations Foundation, CDC, Gavi, the Gates Foundation, UNICEF, and WHO. This demonstrates a multi-stakeholder partnership aimed at achieving global health targets, aligning with the principles of SDG 17.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Several specific targets under SDG 3 and SDG 17 are directly relevant to the information presented in the article.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  • Target 3.2: “By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age…” The article directly supports this target by stating that in 2024, there were an “estimated 95,000 measles deaths globally, mostly among unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children under the age of 5 years.” The entire prevention effort described is aimed at reducing this specific mortality group.
  • Target 3.8: “Achieve universal health coverage, including… access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.” The article emphasizes the availability of a “safe and cost-effective vaccine” and notes that it “costs less than US$ 1 per child.” The discussion on vaccination coverage rates and the goal of reaching all children with immunization directly relates to achieving universal access to essential vaccines.
  • Target 3.b: “Support the research and development of vaccines and medicines for the communicable… diseases that primarily affect developing countries, provide access to affordable essential medicines and vaccines…” The article highlights that the “overwhelming majority of measles deaths occur in countries with low per capita incomes or weak health infrastructures.” The focus on providing a low-cost vaccine and implementing mass immunization campaigns in these regions aligns perfectly with this target.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  • Target 17.16: “Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources…” The article details the “IA2030 Measles & Rubella Partnership,” a collaboration of major global health organizations. It states the partnership “helps countries plan, fund and measure efforts to permanently stop measles and rubella,” which is a clear example of the multi-stakeholder cooperation described in this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article provides several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress.

• Indicators for SDG 3 Targets

  • Under-5 Mortality Rate (related to Target 3.2): The article provides a specific metric for mortality from measles: “an estimated 95,000 people died from measles in 2024 – mostly children under the age of five years.” Tracking the reduction in this number over time is a direct indicator of progress. The article also notes that vaccination averted “nearly 59 million deaths between 2000 and 2024,” showing the long-term impact on mortality.
  • Vaccine Coverage (related to Target 3.8 and 3.b): The article provides precise data points that serve as indicators for vaccine coverage.
    • “The proportion of children receiving a first dose of measles vaccine was 84% in 2024.”
    • “In 2024, 76% of children received both doses of the measles vaccine.”
    • “Approximately 30 million infants remained under-protected against measles in 2024.”

    These percentages and numbers are key performance indicators for measuring access to and uptake of essential vaccines.

• Indicators for SDG 17 Target

  • Existence and Function of Global Partnerships (related to Target 17.16): The article’s description of the “Immunization Agenda 2030 Measles & Rubella Partnership (M&RP)” serves as a qualitative indicator. The mention of its members (WHO, UNICEF, CDC, etc.) and its stated mission to “help countries plan, fund and measure efforts” demonstrates the existence and operational focus of a multi-stakeholder partnership dedicated to achieving a specific health goal.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: who.int