Bill Gates says measles eradication is now out of reach due to vaccine hesitancy
The Cypriot publication Cyprus Mail published a Reuters report in which philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said that eradicating measles as a global public health threat is currently impossible because of growing vaccine hesitancy in wealthy countries.
Vaccination and measles outbreaks
According to Gates, his foundation had previously considered measles eradication as one of its possible goals. However, increasing skepticism about vaccinations in wealthier countries has resulted in this goal no longer being included among the foundation's objectives.
Measles is one of the most contagious infectious diseases and can cause a high fever, cough and a characteristic rash. Before the vaccine emerged in the 1960s, around 2 million children died from the disease every year. The annual death toll is now about 100,000, mainly in countries where immunization is hampered by conflicts or logistical problems.
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Vaccination coverage and international aid
The World Health Organization notes that vaccination coverage must exceed 95% to prevent outbreaks. In recent years, the number of measles cases has also increased in the United States and Europe, where the disease had previously almost disappeared, amid declining vaccination coverage.
Gates said he does not see growing vaccine hesitancy in low-income countries where his foundation works. According to him, measles can be much more dangerous in such countries because of malnutrition and gaps in the healthcare system.
He also spoke about cuts in international aid, which, in his assessment, likely caused many deaths. Partial restoration of funding and efforts by countries and medical organizations, Gates said, helped avoid the worst-case scenario: the most pessimistic forecasts projected more than 10 million deaths.
