Measles elimination:
The unambiguous role of political will

Despite over five decades of the availability of safe and efficacious vaccines, the global failure to eliminate measles is not a consequence of scientific uncertainty, vaccine inefficacy, or insurmountable logistical barriers. Rather, it is a direct result of a singular, persistent deficiency: lack of political will. Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known, yet it is also one of the most preventable. The vaccine is safe, effective, and has been available for more than half a century. Since the introduction of measles vaccines, an estimated 94 million lives have been saved, with vaccination campaigns preventing nearly two million deaths each year. The science is unequivocal: achieving and sustaining high coverage with two doses of measles-containing vaccine (MCV) is sufficient to interrupt transmission and eliminate the disease. There are no animal reservoirs, and the virus is antigenically stable, making eradication technically feasible, if not even simple. Yet, as of the end...