A bold milestone for Iran: the World Health Organization confirms that Iran has maintained elimination of both measles and rubella. This verification, cited by Iran’s health ministry, positions Iran alongside a select few in the region—Iran, Oman, and Bahrain are the only countries in West Asia to achieve this status, according to IRNA’s reporting of remarks by Alireza Raeisi.
Measles remains a serious threat, capable of causing pneumonia, diarrhea, blindness, and encephalitis. Protection comes through vaccination—two doses given at 12 months and 18 months of age.
Iran launched its measles vaccination program in 1984, achieving broad uptake early on: roughly 34% of the population vaccinated in the first year, rising to 90–95% within six years. A national campaign in 2003 vaccinated about 33 million people with the aim of eradicating measles.
Raeisi described the milestone as a major triumph for Iran’s health system, noting that several European nations have since lost their measles-free declarations. He also pointed out that measles remains a challenge in parts of West Asia, including neighboring countries to the east such as Turkey.
The achievement reflects coordinated planning, widespread immunization, strong epidemiologic surveillance, and widespread engagement from Iran’s healthcare system. It marks a turning point for public health and is expected to bolster Iran’s regional and international standing in health goals.
As of April 2025, about 98% of the target population in Iran’s immunization program had received the measles vaccine. Still, around ten to twenty thousand children under one year old had not yet been vaccinated, and approximately 5% of those vaccinated may still contract measles, Raeisi noted.
He emphasized that disruptions to vaccination programs in neighboring countries, notably Afghanistan and Pakistan, pose ongoing risks to Iran’s health security.
In the Iranian year that ended on March 19, 2024, Iran reported about 603 measles cases. Of these, 91% were among Iranian nationals, with 9% among foreign nationals. The cities of Chabahar, Ahvaz, Hormozgan, and Zahedan recorded the highest case counts, with 97, 86, 72, and 68 infections respectively.
Infants under one year accounted for roughly one-third of cases, while children aged 1–4 years represented about 30%. Tragically, four infants under six months died, chiefly due to malnutrition or other underlying medical conditions.
As of the start of the current Iranian year, roughly 82 confirmed measles cases had been reported.
In May 2024, Iran received 160 measles antibody testing kits through assistance from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO). These kits augment Iran’s diagnostic capacity and enhance its ability to respond swiftly to outbreaks. The donations were coordinated and announced by WHO on May 12, 2024.
Photo: Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raeisi
