WHO Declares Smallpox Eradicated
May 8, 1980 · 20th Century
On May 8, 1980, the World Health Assembly formally declared smallpox eradicated — the only human infectious disease eliminated through deliberate human effort. The global eradication campaign, led by D.A. Henderson under the WHO, began in 1967 using a ring vaccination strategy. The last naturally occurring case was Ali Maow Maalin in Somalia on October 26, 1977. Smallpox had killed an estimated 300 to 500 million people in the 20th century alone. The campaign built directly on Edward Jenner's 1796 vaccine.
Key Figures
D.A. Henderson
Locations
Geneva
Topics
medicinediseasepublic healthimmunologyvaccine
Connected Events — 4 Connections
Rinderpest eradication followed the template established by the WHO smallpox campaign FAO Declares Global Eradication of Rinderpest
Jenner's 1796 cowpox inoculation technique launched a 184-year global vaccination campaign that culminated in the WHO's 1980 declaration — the only human disease ever eradicated Edward Jenner Demonstrates the Smallpox Vaccine
Part of vaccine eradication era leading to Salk Polio Vaccine Declared Safe and Effective
Penicillin's clinical development demonstrated the power of systematic drug development that later informed global disease eradication efforts Florey and Chain Develop Penicillin for Clinical Use
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