WHO's Role in Combating Cross-Border Infectious Diseases: From Smallpox Eradication to Modern Outbreaks

Among the most outstanding is undoubtedly the official declaration in 1980 of the eradication of smallpox, which until then had claimed the lives of approximately 2 million people worldwide each year.

The goal of elimination, formulated in 1967, was achieved through an internationally organized mass vaccination program — and it continues to serve as a model for campaigns designed to encourage the international community to vaccinate against the most threatening diseases.

Recent Ebola and hantavirus outbreaks show how WHO coordination, surveillance, and guidance remain vital when infections move across borders.