Rising vaccine hesitancy in wealthy countries has made the global eradication of measles currently unachievable, Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates has said.
In an interview with Reuters, Gates said eradicating measles had once been among the potential goals of his foundation, but growing scepticism about vaccines in richer countries had now put that objective off the list.
Gates described the situation as disappointing, noting that measles deaths had fallen dramatically since vaccines were introduced in the 1960s. Before vaccination became widely available, the disease killed around two million children each year. Today, about 100,000 children still die from measles annually, mostly in countries where conflict, weak healthcare systems or logistical challenges make immunisation difficult.
According to the World Health Organisation, vaccination coverage needs to remain above 95% to prevent measles outbreaks.
Gates said recent declines in vaccination rates had also contributed to a resurgence of measles in some wealthy countries, including the United States and parts of Europe. He expressed concern that vaccine scepticism in richer countries could eventually spread to other parts of the world.
However, he said his foundation had not so far seen a significant increase in vaccine hesitancy in the lower-income countries where it operates.
Measles is one of the world’s most contagious infectious diseases and can cause high fever, cough and a characteristic skin rash.
Gates also urged governments to restore international aid or, at minimum, avoid further cuts, warning that developing countries were already facing significant challenges in maintaining healthcare systems and vaccination programmes.
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