How long does it take to wipe out a disease?

Years since the world first tried

Bar race · made with MakeYourChart · Nov 6, 2026

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What the data shows

In 2026, Yaws ranks #1 with 74 yrs, ahead of Malaria (71 yrs) and Guinea worm (40 yrs).
Yaws holds #1 for the whole period, 1962 to 2026.
Yaws grew 7.4× between 1962 and 2026.
Guinea worm and Polio weren't on the board in 1962 but are in the top 5 by 2026.

The data

Source given by the creator: Years since each disease's first global campaign, until gone or 2026. WHO, FAO, Carter Center, GPEI..

How long does it take to wipe out a disease?
Date	Smallpox · gone 1980	Rinderpest (cattle)	Polio	Guinea worm	Malaria	Yaws
1962	3 yrs				7 yrs	10 yrs
1963	4 yrs				8 yrs	11 yrs
1964	5 yrs				9 yrs	12 yrs
1965	6 yrs				10 yrs	13 yrs
1966	7 yrs				11 yrs	14 yrs
1967	8 yrs				12 yrs	15 yrs
1968	9 yrs				13 yrs	16 yrs
1969	10 yrs				14 yrs	17 yrs
1970	11 yrs				15 yrs	18 yrs
1971	12 yrs				16 yrs	19 yrs
1972	13 yrs				17 yrs	20 yrs
1973	14 yrs				18 yrs	21 yrs
1974	15 yrs				19 yrs	22 yrs
1975	16 yrs				20 yrs	23 yrs
1976	17 yrs				21 yrs	24 yrs
1977	18 yrs				22 yrs	25 yrs
1978	19 yrs				23 yrs	26 yrs
1979	20 yrs				24 yrs	27 yrs
1980	21 yrs				25 yrs	28 yrs
1981	21 yrs				26 yrs	29 yrs
1982	21 yrs				27 yrs	30 yrs
1983	21 yrs				28 yrs	31 yrs
1984	21 yrs				29 yrs	32 yrs
1985	21 yrs				30 yrs	33 yrs
1986	21 yrs			0 yrs	31 yrs	34 yrs
1987	21 yrs			1 yrs	32 yrs	35 yrs
1988	21 yrs		0 yrs	2 yrs	33 yrs	36 yrs
1989	21 yrs		1 yrs	3 yrs	34 yrs	37 yrs
1990	21 yrs		2 yrs	4 yrs	35 yrs	38 yrs
1991	21 yrs		3 yrs	5 yrs	36 yrs	39 yrs
1992	21 yrs		4 yrs	6 yrs	37 yrs	40 yrs
1993	21 yrs		5 yrs	7 yrs	38 yrs	41 yrs
1994	21 yrs	0 yrs	6 yrs	8 yrs	39 yrs	42 yrs
1995	21 yrs	1 yrs	7 yrs	9 yrs	40 yrs	43 yrs
1996	21 yrs	2 yrs	8 yrs	10 yrs	41 yrs	44 yrs
1997	21 yrs	3 yrs	9 yrs	11 yrs	42 yrs	45 yrs
1998	21 yrs	4 yrs	10 yrs	12 yrs	43 yrs	46 yrs
1999	21 yrs	5 yrs	11 yrs	13 yrs	44 yrs	47 yrs
2000	21 yrs	6 yrs	12 yrs	14 yrs	45 yrs	48 yrs
2001	21 yrs	7 yrs	13 yrs	15 yrs	46 yrs	49 yrs
2002	21 yrs	8 yrs	14 yrs	16 yrs	47 yrs	50 yrs
2003	21 yrs	9 yrs	15 yrs	17 yrs	48 yrs	51 yrs
2004	21 yrs	10 yrs	16 yrs	18 yrs	49 yrs	52 yrs
2005	21 yrs	11 yrs	17 yrs	19 yrs	50 yrs	53 yrs
2006	21 yrs	12 yrs	18 yrs	20 yrs	51 yrs	54 yrs
2007	21 yrs	13 yrs	19 yrs	21 yrs	52 yrs	55 yrs
2008	21 yrs	14 yrs	20 yrs	22 yrs	53 yrs	56 yrs
2009	21 yrs	15 yrs	21 yrs	23 yrs	54 yrs	57 yrs
2010	21 yrs	16 yrs	22 yrs	24 yrs	55 yrs	58 yrs
2011	21 yrs	17 yrs	23 yrs	25 yrs	56 yrs	59 yrs
2012	21 yrs	17 yrs	24 yrs	26 yrs	57 yrs	60 yrs
2013	21 yrs	17 yrs	25 yrs	27 yrs	58 yrs	61 yrs
2014	21 yrs	17 yrs	26 yrs	28 yrs	59 yrs	62 yrs
2015	21 yrs	17 yrs	27 yrs	29 yrs	60 yrs	63 yrs
2016	21 yrs	17 yrs	28 yrs	30 yrs	61 yrs	64 yrs
2017	21 yrs	17 yrs	29 yrs	31 yrs	62 yrs	65 yrs
2018	21 yrs	17 yrs	30 yrs	32 yrs	63 yrs	66 yrs
2019	21 yrs	17 yrs	31 yrs	33 yrs	64 yrs	67 yrs
2020	21 yrs	17 yrs	32 yrs	34 yrs	65 yrs	68 yrs
2021	21 yrs	17 yrs	33 yrs	35 yrs	66 yrs	69 yrs
2022	21 yrs	17 yrs	34 yrs	36 yrs	67 yrs	70 yrs
2023	21 yrs	17 yrs	35 yrs	37 yrs	68 yrs	71 yrs
2024	21 yrs	17 yrs	36 yrs	38 yrs	69 yrs	72 yrs
2025	21 yrs	17 yrs	37 yrs	39 yrs	70 yrs	73 yrs
2026	21 yrs	17 yrs	38 yrs	40 yrs	71 yrs	74 yrs

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