Honorable representatives of the Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka
Chair and Members of the South-East Asia Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella Elimination
Chairs and members of National Verification Committees
Partners and colleagues
Good morning to you all.
I am pleased to address this 11th meeting of the South-East Asia Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella Elimination.
To the newly appointed members of the Commission – welcome.
To the outgoing members – my thanks and appreciation for your dedication and service.
Measles and rubella continue to exploit immunity gaps.
They expose weaknesses in surveillance and outbreak response, and their impact falls hardest on underserved communities.
Eliminating these diseases is both a technical imperative and an equity commitment: to protect every child, prevent congenital rubella syndrome, and close the gaps that leave people behind.
The Commission advises the Regional Director by assessing Member States’ progress against the verification framework.
It reviews evidence from National Verification Committee reports, and it issues recommendations to accelerate progress and sustain achievements.
Your deliberations ensure that verification decisions remain evidence-based, consistent, and transparent.
This work is a tangible expression of WHO’s call, this year, for the world to stand with science.
Across the Region, progress towards the 2026 elimination goal has been substantial.
Four Member States have sustained verified measles elimination, and six have achieved rubella elimination—including Nepal in 2025.
WHO/UNICEF estimates for 2024 show first-dose measles-rubella vaccine coverage at 96%, and second-dose coverage at 91%.
All Member States are implementing fever-and-rash surveillance, and the Region has previously achieved a non-measles, non-rubella discard rate above 2 per 100 000 population.
Yet progress remains uneven. Bangladesh, India, and Nepal have reported more measles cases and outbreaks than in previous years.
Importations have also increased, including into countries previously verified as having eliminated the disease.
Subnational immunity gaps persist, and surveillance sensitivity at this level must be strengthened.
Achieving and sustaining elimination rests on five pillars:
First: high and equitable vaccine coverage, including a strong second-dose—delivered through routine immunization or supplementary immunization activities.
Second: sensitive case-based surveillance with timely investigation and response.
Third: a robust laboratory network.
Fourth: preparedness for rapid outbreak detection and response.
And, fifth: an enabling environment for optimal implementation of strategies.
These underpin verification, and must remain central to your review.
Guidance from this meeting should be actionable, time-bound, and clear in its priorities.
It must explicitly address subnational inequities and populations most at risk of being missed.
Where elimination has been achieved, the focus shifts: sustaining high immunity and rapidly detecting and containing importations must remain paramount.
WHO is committed to supporting Member States, together with partner agencies, in implementing your recommendations, and strengthening immunization, surveillance, and laboratory capacity across the Region.
My thanks to the Government and people of Sri Lanka, and the Ministry of Health, for graciously hosting this meeting.
My thanks also to the Chair and members of the Commission for your continued independent oversight, and to the National Verification Committees for the rigor of your reviews.
I look forward to your report and recommendations, and to the progress they will drive toward a healthier, safer South-East Asia.
Thank you.