Nepal has demonstrated that where there is a will, there is indeed a way. Devastated by the terrible earthquake of April 2015, Nepal has nevertheless pursued the goal set by the Sixty-sixth session of the Regional Committee in 2013 – to control rubella and congenital rubella syndrome – with tenacious resolve. So much so that it has achieved these outcomes two years ahead of the deadline. The commencement of case-based rubella surveillance, mandatory reporting and the introduction of the rubella vaccination in 2013, coupled with the introduction of the second dose of the rubella vaccination in 2015, led to a dramatic decline in rubella cases, from well over a thousand in 2009 to a handful in 2017. These achievements were made via the Ministry of Health’s leadership and strategic acumen, alongside cooperation between government and development partners and the efforts of countless health workers and officials at the grassroots. Nepal has led the Region in its efforts to deliver primary health care to all its people, achieving high immunization coverage, not only for measles and rubella, but for all vaccine-preventable diseases. The country’s goal of achieving 100% fully immunized districts, powered by the strength of local institutions, will drive many successes related to the control or elimination of vaccine-preventable diseases. WHO looks forward to continuing to work with Nepal to this end to eliminating other vaccine-preventable diseases.
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