Kuala Lampur, Sept. 24 -- For many years, measles felt like a disease of the past across the Western Pacific region.

This did not happen by chance.

It was the result of decades of political commitment, investment, and public health work that steadily pushed measles closer to elimination.

Health workers carried vaccines across mountains, rivers, crowded cities, and remote islands. Surveillance systems worked to detect outbreaks early. Countries collaborated to close gaps in vaccine coverage.

Globally, since 1974, vaccination has prevented an estimated 154 million deaths from a range of diseases. Measles vaccination alone accounts for around 94 million lives saved, including 12 million in the Western Pacific Region. It is the single mos...