India’s Zero Measles–Rubella Elimination campaign aims for 2026 target, pushing two-dose coverage and stronger surveillance
India’s National Zero Measles–Rubella Elimination campaign (2025–26) was launched to accelerate the goal of eliminating measles and rubella by 2026. The programme stresses full two-dose vaccination under the Universal Immunisation Programme and calls for stronger surveillance and community outreach to prevent outbreaks and close last-mile gaps.
A time-bound immunisation push to reach a 2026 goal
India’s National Zero Measles–Rubella Elimination campaign for 2025–26 is structured as a focused push toward eliminating both diseases by 2026. The initiative frames measles and rubella as highly infectious viral threats that can lead to serious illness, long-term complications and avoidable deaths, particularly among children, if vaccination gaps persist.
The campaign emphasises that elimination requires more than routine coverage: it demands consistent last-mile immunisation delivery and community confidence. The approach includes outreach and awareness-building so that every eligible child receives the recommended two-dose schedule, rather than only partial protection.
Two-dose vaccination and the surveillance angle
Under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP), two doses of the Measles–Rubella (MR) vaccine are provided free of cost—typically at 9–12 months and 16–24 months of age. The campaign reinforces this schedule and urges states and districts to tighten follow-up so children are not missed due to migration, urban slum conditions or access barriers.
Alongside vaccination, the campaign calls for stronger disease surveillance and rapid reporting to quickly detect and contain clusters. The emphasis is on ensuring local health systems treat suspected cases as an immediate public-health signal, not as routine seasonal illness, and then respond with targeted immunisation and community mobilisation.
- Campaign timeframe: 2025–26 with elimination target set for 2026.
- Core measure: Ensure every eligible child receives two MR doses under UIP.
- Operational focus: Community outreach plus strengthened surveillance to stop outbreaks early.
As India approaches the 2026 deadline, the campaign’s success hinges on closing remaining coverage gaps—especially in high-mobility populations—and on making surveillance sensitive enough that outbreaks are detected quickly and stamped out before they spread.