The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has announced that the Americas region, including the Caribbean, has officially regained its measles-free status in 2024, following years of dedicated efforts.
This marks the region’s return to a milestone first achieved in 2016. In 2023, the region reported the lowest number of measles cases in history, with only 73 recorded. Additionally, vaccination coverage for the first dose of the Measles, Rubella, and Mumps (MMR1) vaccine increased for the first time since 2019, reaching an eight percent rise in coverage.
PAHO also highlighted significant progress in its ongoing disease elimination initiatives. The organization has set an ambitious goal to eliminate over 30 communicable diseases and related conditions by 2030, continuing its focus on improving health outcomes across the region.
Among the key achievements celebrated in 2024, PAHO noted that the Americas have now gone 30 years without the wild poliovirus. It also highlighted the successful elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis in Belize, Jamaica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as well as the elimination of lymphatic filariasis in Brazil.
Increase in vaccination coverage
In a major achievement for vaccination efforts, PAHO reported that vaccination coverage in the Americas has surpassed pre-pandemic levels for the first time since 2019. This marks a significant step in reversing the declining trends in immunization that began in 2010 and worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Coverage for the DPT-3 (diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus) vaccine increased, with first-dose coverage for DPT-containing vaccines reaching 91 percent and third-dose coverage rising to 86 percent. Additionally, the number of children under one-year-old who had never received a vaccine dose decreased to 1.1 million. However, PAHO cautioned that challenges remain, with one in ten children still lacking full vaccination.
To address these gaps, PAHO has been supporting countries in strengthening their immunization programs, integrating them into primary health care systems, and offering technical and operational support for vaccination campaigns to ensure the continued elimination of diseases like measles, rubella, and polio.
In a sobering reflection on regional health disparities, PAHO noted that in 2020, one maternal death occurred every hour in Latin America and the Caribbean. This troubling setback, resembling levels from 20 years ago, was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which deepened inequalities and exposed vulnerabilities in health systems. In response, PAHO launched its “Zero Preventable Maternal Deaths” call to action, advocating for cross-sector collaboration, gender equality, and legal protections for women’s rights. The strategy emphasizes that nine out of ten maternal deaths could be prevented with universal access to quality maternal care and modern contraceptive methods.
Goal to eliminate cervical cancer
PAHO also set an ambitious goal for the region to be the first to eliminate cervical cancer, which claims the lives of around 40,000 women in the Americas each year. Through a strategy that includes widespread human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, screening, and treatment, PAHO aims to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health issue. The organization is aligning its actions with the World Health Organization’s 90-70-90 targets, which aim for 90 percent HPV vaccination coverage in girls by age 15, 70 percent screening coverage with high-performance tests by the ages of 35 and 45, and 90 percent treatment for precancerous lesions and invasive cancer by 2030.
As of 2024, 48 countries and territories in the Americas have introduced the HPV vaccine, but coverage remains uneven. While some countries have achieved over 80 percent vaccination rates, others remain below 10 percent. PAHO is working to close these gaps by ensuring all countries have access to safe, affordable HPV vaccines and diagnostic tools through its Revolving Funds.
PAHO’s continued efforts in these areas reflect its ongoing commitment to improving health outcomes across the Americas, ensuring that no one is left behind in the fight to eliminate preventable diseases.
