Background: Measles and rubella remain key indicators of immunization system performance and are central to the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030). Disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have widened immunity gaps and accelerated resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases across multiple regions. This study assesses progress toward measles and rubella elimination in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) during 2023–2024. Methods: We conducted a retrospective descriptive analysis of measles and rubella surveillance data, WHO/UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage (WUENIC), and Joint Reporting Form (eJRF) data for all 22 EMR countries and territories. Key indicators included disease incidence, MCV1 and MCV2 coverage, surveillance performance metrics, and verified elimination status. Results: Regional measles incidence increased from 110.8 to 116.3 per million population, while rubella incidence more than doubled from 1.9 to 4.3 per million. Large outbreaks in Yemen, Iraq, and Afghanistan disproportionally drove regional trends. MCV1 coverage remained stable at approximately 80%, while MCV2 coverage increased marginally from 73% to 75%. Only nine of 22 countries achieved ≥95% coverage for both doses in 2024. Persistent zero-dose populations, high dropout rates, and ongoing immunity gaps sustained transmission across multiple settings. Conclusions: The EMR remains off track to achieve measles and rubella elimination by 2030. Accelerated, equity-focused efforts are urgently needed to strengthen routine immunization systems, reduce zero-dose population, enhance surveillance capacity, and improve outbreak response—particularly in fragile and conflicted-affected settings.

Introduction: Malaria remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years in many tropical countries. The study assessed the prevalence and distribution of malaria in the Kintampo North Municipality from 2018 to 2022. Methods: We extracted routine malaria data from the District Health Information Management System for the period 2018-2022. Variables included suspected and confirmed malaria cases, testing rates, test positivity and intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp) coverage. Data were analysed as frequencies and proportions. CUSUM2 threshold was applied to determine missed outbreaks. Results: Over the five-year period, 491,936 suspected uncomplicated malaria cases were recorded, of which 97.3% were tested and 40.0% confirmed positive by microscopy or rapid diagnostic test. Outpatient malaria cases per 1,000 population ranged from 229 in 2021 to 460 in 2019. Children under five accounted for 26.1% of cases, with a positivity rate of 31.5%. Malaria in pregnancy showed a 49.7% positivity rate. IPTp1 coverage declined substantially from 97.3% in 2018 to 63.7% in 2022, with IPTp dropout ranging 13.6%-44.2%. The CUSUM2 analysis indicated that epidemic thresholds were crossed five times during the review period, yet no outbreak was detected. Conclusion: Malaria remains highly prevalent in the Kintampo North Municipality, though a relative decline in the number of suspected cases was observed between 2019 and 2021. Declining IPTp coverage and missed epidemic signals highlight weaknesses in both preventive services and surveillance systems. Strengthened case definition adherence, systematic use of outbreak detection thresholds, and renewed efforts to improve IPTp uptake are urgently needed.