The global eradication of smallpox was accomplished by which of the following?

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Smallpox eradication succeeded because a WHO-led global campaign combined broad vaccination with vigilant surveillance and targeted ring vaccination around detected cases and their contacts. By identifying cases quickly and vaccinating people in the surrounding area, transmission was interrupted, creating a buffer that prevented further spread. This surveillance-containment approach, applied consistently across diverse settings worldwide, ultimately led to the disease’s eradication. While vaccine quality and international coordination mattered, the essential driver was the systematic surveillance and ring vaccination strategy.