Eliminate 30 communicable diseases by 2030, PAHO’s challenge

Washington, April 28 (Prensa Latina) Accelerating the elimination of more than 30 communicable diseases by 2030, 11 of them preventable with immunization, is the objective of the Vaccination Week of the Americas, which is taking place today in the region and will last until Saturday.

April 28, 2025
09:07

Led by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the week kicked off on the 26th under the slogan “Your decision makes the difference. Immunization for all”.

During the last five decades, vaccines have saved 154 million lives worldwide and reduced infant mortality by 41 percent in the Americas, PAHO Director Jarbas Barbosa said at a press conference prior to Vaccination Week in the Americas. However, he warned, our progress against vaccine-preventable diseases requires a strong and sustained commitment to appropriate public health measures.

Globally, confirmed measles cases exceeded 359,000 in 2024. This, coupled with gaps in vaccination coverage, has led to localized outbreaks in six countries in the Americas, with 2,313 cases reported so far this year, compared to only 215 in the same period in 2024. Three deaths have been confirmed and one more is under investigation.

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