Nepal declared Rubella-free by WHO, Becomes 6th country in South-East Asia to eliminate disease

KATHMANDU: The World Health Organization has officially declared Nepal free of rubella as a public health problem, marking a major milestone for the country’s national immunization program and placing Nepal among a select group of nations in the WHO South-East Asia Region to eliminate the disease.

The announcement was made after the Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella (SEA-RVC), under WHO South-East Asia, reviewed Nepal’s vaccination coverage data and disease surveillance performance. Following that assessment, the Commission verified that rubella has been successfully eliminated in Nepal.

With this achievement, Nepal becomes the sixth country in the WHO’s South-East Asia region to eliminate rubella, joining Bhutan, DPR Korea, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Timor-Leste. Nepal was already moving toward the WHO regional target of eliminating measles and rubella by 2026, but surpassed the rubella target two years ahead of schedule.

Years of Immunization Effort Pay Off

In a congratulatory letter to Nepal’s Ministry of Health and Population, WHO South-East Asia acting chief Dr. Catharina Boehme stated that Nepal’s success reflects “unwavering commitment from the government, the tireless dedication of health workers, and strong community ownership.”

Rubella — also known as German measles — is a contagious viral disease that poses serious risks to pregnant women, including miscarriage and birth defects. It can be prevented through vaccination. Nepal introduced rubella-containing vaccine into the national immunization program in 2012 through a nationwide campaign targeting children aged 9 months to 15 years. A second dose was added in 2016.

Despite major crises including the 2015 earthquake and the COVID-19 pandemic, Nepal conducted successful national vaccination campaigns in 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024, achieving over 95% coverage of the first rubella vaccine dose by 2024.

Programs such as Immunization Month, door-to-door outreach, and the declaration of “fully immunized districts” helped boost coverage and awareness.

National and International Recognition

WHO Representative to Nepal, Dr. Rajesh Sambhajirao Pandav, congratulated Nepal, stating, “This public health achievement is the result of close collaboration between the government, health workers, partners and communities. WHO is proud to have contributed and remains committed to supporting Nepal sustain this accomplishment.”

Health Minister Pradeep Paudel thanked all stakeholders, saying, “This achievement ensures a healthier start for newborns in Nepal and sets the country on track toward broader immunization goals. We are grateful to WHO and Gavi for their support and call on all stakeholders to maintain this momentum so that no child suffers from vaccine-preventable diseases.”

The Regional Verification Commission held its annual meeting from 22 to 24 July 2025, where Nepal’s national data on surveillance and vaccine coverage were evaluated. Based on this evidence, the Commission recommended formal declaration of rubella elimination from Nepal.

Expansion of Targeted Health Measures

The parliamentary health committee in Nepal recently emphasized moving from elimination toward sustained surveillance, laboratory testing, and continued community outreach. Nepal also implemented a new laboratory testing algorithm, reportedly the first of its kind in the South-East Asia region, to ensure rubella case detection remains strong even after elimination.

With rubella eliminated, Nepal now turns its focus more aggressively toward measles elimination as the next milestone, aligning with WHO regional targets by 2026.