New data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UN Childrens Fund UNICEF, reveal signs of immunization services rebounding in some countries, but coverage still falls short of pre-pandemic levels, particularly in low-income countries, putting children at grave risk of disease outbreaks.
Global immunization services reached four million more children in 2022, compared with the previous year as countries increase efforts meant to combat the historic backsliding in immunization triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Data published by the UN agencies reveal that, in 2022, 20.5 million children failed to receive one or more diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) vaccines, compared to 24.4 million children in 2021. DTP vaccinations are commonly used as the global indicator of immunization coverage.
Despite the improvement, this figure is still more than the 18.4 million children who failed to receive one or more vaccines in 2019, before pandemic-related disruptions to routine immunization services kicked in.
“These data are encouraging, and a tribute to those who have worked so hard to restore life-saving immunization services after two years of sustained decline in immunization coverage,” said WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“But global and regional averages dont tell the whole story and mask severe and persistent inequities. When countries and regions lag, children pay the price.” Of the 73 countries that recorded substantial declines in coverage, 15 have recovered to pre-pandemic levels, 24 are on the road to recovery and, most concerningly, 34 have stagnated or continued to decline, WHO Director-General said.
South Asia, which reported gradual increases in coverage in the decade prior to the pandemic, has demonstrated a more rapid and robust recovery than regions that suffered declines, such as Latin America and the Caribbean, Ghebreyesus added.
Last year, 21.9 million children – 2.7 million more than in 2019 – missed the routine measles vaccination in their first year of life, while an additional 13.3 million did not receive their second dose. This has placed children in under-vaccinated communities at heightened risk of outbreaks.
Source: Qatar News Agency