Rubella Elimination was successfully held on 22–23 June 2026 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The meeting brought together members of the Regional Verification Commission, representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Regional Office, and delegates from Member States across the region to review progress towards the elimination of measles and rubella.

The two-day meeting provided a platform for countries to present updates on their elimination efforts, discuss challenges and achievements, and strengthen regional collaboration towards achieving and sustaining measles and rubella elimination. Key discussions focused on surveillance performance, immunization coverage, outbreak preparedness and response, laboratory networks, and verification processes.

Sri Lanka was honoured to host this important regional event, reaffirming its commitment to the goals of the WHO South-East Asia Region for measles and rubella elimination. The meeting highlighted the importance of maintaining high-quality immunization services, sensitive surveillance systems, and strong political commitment to safeguard the gains achieved in disease elimination.

The Epidemiology Unit, Ministry of Health, coordinated the event in collaboration with the World Health Organization and regional partners.