The World Health Organization has verified that Thailand has eliminated rubella as a public health problem. It is the seventh country in South-East Asia to reach the milestone.

Thailand introduced rubella vaccine for schoolgirls in 1986. It expanded coverage to all one-year-old children in 1993.

A WHO commission reviewed Thailand’s surveillance and immunisation data in June. A field visit in July confirmed the achievement.

Rubella is usually mild but dangerous in pregnancy. It can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or lifelong birth defects in babies.

Thailand now joins Bhutan, North Korea, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Timor-Leste. The country says it will next push for measles elimination. Health workers said the achievement took decades of steady vaccination work. Parents have been urged to keep children up to date on all routine shots. WHO officials praised Thailand’s health workers for the long campaign. The milestone protects newborns from preventable birth defects. Officials said imported cases remain a concern and surveillance will continue.