Global Setback with Local Implications

Canada has officially lost its measles elimination status after nearly three decades, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) announced on Monday, 10 November 2025. The decision follows more than a year of continuous transmission of the virus, primarily within under-vaccinated communities. This development in a high-income nation serves as a critical alert for countries like Kenya, which are simultaneously fighting a resurgence of the highly contagious disease amid different, yet equally pressing, public health challenges.

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the country has recorded over 5,100 measles cases in 2025, resulting in two deaths. The loss of elimination status, a designation earned when a country halts continuous local spread for at least 12 months, was described as an "embarrassing development" by international infectious disease experts. The primary cause cited for the Canadian outbreaks is a decline in vaccination coverage to below the 95% threshold required for herd immunity, fueled significantly by vaccine hesitancy and the spread of misinformation.

Kenya's Parallel Battle Against Measles

While Canada's challenge stems largely from public trust issues, Kenya faces a more complex set of hurdles. The country is currently grappling with significant measles outbreaks of its own. Between January 2024 and February 2025, Kenya's Ministry of Health reported approximately 2,949 cases and 18 deaths across 18 counties. Health officials have identified the low uptake of the second dose of the measles-rubella (MR) vaccine as a major driver of these outbreaks.

According to the latest data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF, while Kenya achieved 91% coverage for the first measles vaccine dose (MCV1) by the end of 2024, the coverage for the second dose (MCV2) stood at only 76%. This significant drop-off leaves a large cohort of children vulnerable. The WHO recommends a sustained 95% coverage for both doses to prevent outbreaks and protect the community.

In response to the rising cases, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced a nationwide integrated vaccination campaign in July 2025, targeting both measles-rubella and typhoid. The government has set a target of 95% coverage for the MR vaccine.

Divergent Causes, Convergent Threats

The reasons for Kenya's immunisation gaps are multifaceted and differ starkly from Canada's. While some vaccine hesitancy exists, more significant barriers include systemic and socioeconomic factors. Reports from May 2025 highlighted a critical funding shortfall for Kenya's immunisation programs, with the government covering only a fraction of the required KES 11.6 billion annually. This gap threatens the procurement of essential vaccines, over half of which are supplied by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

Furthermore, deep regional disparities persist. Counties in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) and those hosting large refugee populations, such as Turkana, report dangerously low vaccination rates. Turkana County, which borders conflict-affected nations, has recorded over 1,444 cases and nearly a dozen deaths as of May 2025, with a full vaccination rate of only 29%. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has warned that conflict, displacement, and gaps in routine immunisation are key drivers of measles outbreaks across the continent.

A Global Wake-Up Call

The resurgence of measles is not confined to Canada or Kenya. The WHO has noted a global rise in cases, with vaccination coverage declining in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted routine health services worldwide. The Americas region, which had previously been declared measles-free, lost this status due to the sustained outbreaks in Canada.

For Kenya, Canada's situation underscores that progress against vaccine-preventable diseases is fragile and can be reversed even in the most developed nations. It highlights the universal threat posed by misinformation and the critical need for sustained public health investment and community engagement. As Kenya strives to close its own immunisation gaps—caused by funding shortfalls, logistical hurdles, and regional instability—the Canadian example is a powerful reminder that achieving and maintaining herd immunity requires constant vigilance and addressing the specific barriers to vaccination within each community.