Thailand has been verified by the World Health Organisation as having eliminated rubella as a public health problem, becoming the seventh country in the WHO South-East Asia Region to reach the milestone.

The verification was announced on 5 September after Dr Nilesh Buddha, Officer-in-Charge of the WHO South-East Asia Region, endorsed a recommendation from the Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella Elimination.

"Thailand has shown that rubella elimination is achievable when strong political commitment, resilient immunisation services, high-quality surveillance and community trust come together," Dr Buddha said.

WHO review and Thailand's long vaccination campaign

The Regional Verification Commission examined evidence submitted by Thailand's National Verification Committee at its annual meeting on 22 and 23 June. A field visit to verify the evidence was then carried out in July.

Public Health Minister Pattana Promphat described the result as a national achievement. He said the verification was a proud moment for Thailand and paid tribute to the decades of work by health workers, volunteers, partners and communities.

Thailand now joins Bhutan, North Korea, the Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Timor-Leste as countries in the WHO South-East Asia Region that have eliminated rubella. Bhutan, North Korea, the Maldives and Timor-Leste have eliminated both measles and rubella.

Thailand's efforts against the disease began in 1977 with the launch of its Expanded Programme on Immunisation. A rubella-containing vaccine was introduced in 1986 for six-year-old girls in primary school, before coverage was expanded in 1993 to include all one-year-old children.

Imported cases remain a concern

Rubella, sometimes called German measles, is a contagious viral infection that vaccination can prevent. While it is often mild, infection during pregnancy can cause miscarriage or stillbirth, and may lead to congenital rubella syndrome, which is associated with lifelong birth defects.

That is particularly relevant for people planning a pregnancy or travelling with young children, given the potentially severe consequences of infection during pregnancy. The WHO verification reflects sustained vaccination coverage and disease surveillance, rather than a claim that all future cases have been ruled out.

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9 September 2026

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Come already 2h ago, and I am the first to congratulate Thailand on such a good thing and position in the world.

3 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Thailand now joins Bhutan, North Korea, the Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Timor-Leste as countries in the WHO South-East Asia Region that have eliminated rubella. Bhutan, North Korea, the Maldives and Timor-Leste have eliminated both measles and rubella.

That reads to me that Thailand is actually behind these countries.

North Korea, Nepal, Sri Lanka, is Thailand really behind such countries when it comes to disease control? Not a good look.

11 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

That reads to me that Thailand is actually behind these countries.

North Korea, Nepal, Sri Lanka, is Thailand really behind such countries when it comes to disease control? Not a good look.

To be fair, some of those countries (North Korea and Bhutan) have very little rotation of foreigners coming and going, carrying and distributing whatever illness they may have while they tour around the places. Easier to control when population lives in a sealed environment.

8 hours ago, Emdog said:

To be fair, some of those countries (North Korea and Bhutan) have very little rotation of foreigners coming and going, carrying and distributing whatever illness they may have while they tour around the places. Easier to control when population lives in a sealed environment.

Sure, I understand that, but rubella is a very old disease. I would have thought Thailand would have eradicated a long time ago,

31 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Sure, I understand that, but rubella is a very old disease. I would have thought Thailand would have eradicated a long time ago,

Yet Vietnam has not...

5 minutes ago, marin said:

Yet Vietnam has not...

Sure, but in recent history, Vietnam was devastated by a brutal war, while Thailand profited off the same war, thus, I cut Vietnam a bit of slack.

8 minutes ago, marin said:

Yet Vietnam has not...

Whilst Vietnam has not eradicated it no one has asked why Singapore and Malaysia are not on the list.

I didn't know this, but the WHO only counts Thailand, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, North Korea, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Timor-Leste as being in the South-East Asia Region (SEARO).

Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei, the Philippines, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and dozens of Pacific Island nations (like Fiji and Samoa)are in the WHO's Western Pacific Region (WPRO).

So it is not geographical but also political and countries lobby to change from one region to another. Weird.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WHO_regions

Anyway, well done to Thailand!!

3 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

Whilst Vietnam has not eradicated it no one has asked why Singapore and Malaysia are not on the list.

I didn't know this, but the WHO only counts Thailand, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, North Korea, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Timor-Leste as being in the South-East Asia Region (SEARO).

Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Brunei, the Philippines, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and dozens of Pacific Island nations (like Fiji and Samoa)are in the WHO's Western Pacific Region (WPRO).

So it is not geographical but also political and countries lobby to change from one region to another. Weird.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WHO_regions

Anyway, well done to Thailand!!

Good post.

Difficult to have faith in the data if it can be manipulated like that.