Measles Makes a Comeback in Latin America

Rewind to 2016: After decades of vaccination campaigns, the World Health Organization (WHO) declares Latin America free of measles. Less than two years later, however, the highly contagious virus has made a startling comeback in Venezuela. According to recent data from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Venezuela has experienced 886 cases of measles since June 2017.

Once known for its enviable medical system, the country’s deep economic crisis, coupled with a mass exodus of doctors and growing corruption, have left the country incapable of providing basic medical care. The National Survey of Hospitals, a recent independent report, found that 88 percent of the over 100 medical centers studied were missing basic medicines. 

Measles is not the only preventable disease that has made a comeback in the country—Venezuela has also seen an increase in diphtheria, malaria, and tuberculosis cases in the past few years. Government response also seems unclear: Opposition leaders claim that PAHO measles vaccines have not made it to the local level. Compounding the issue, Venezuela has not published health indicators since 2011, and the country’s last “weekly” epidemiological report was in 2016. Public health experts worry that measles will continue to spread in the region as political turmoil and ongoing food shortages force Venezuelans to flee.

Venezuela is not alone in struggling to keep vaccination rates high. Failure to vaccinate has been linked with 70 percent of reported measles cases from 2001 to 2015 in the United States.