Immunisation services slowly recovering

WHILE immunisation services have started to recover from disruptions caused by the Covid-19, millions of children remain vulnerable to deadly diseases, the World Health Organisation (WHO), Unicef and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance have warned.
The global organisations said this yesterday during World Immunisation week, highlighting the urgent need for a renewed global commitment to improve vaccination access and uptake.
“Vaccines will help us end the Covid-19 pandemic but only if we ensure fair access for all countries and build stronger systems to deliver them,” WHO director-general Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus said.
“And if we’re to avoid multiple outbreaks of life-threatening diseases like measles, yellow fever and diphtheria, we must ensure routine vaccination services are protected in every country in the world.”
A WHO survey has found that, despite progress when compared to the situation in 2020, over a third of respondent countries still report experiencing disruptions to routine immunisation services and campaigns.
According to new data, 60 life-saving campaigns are postponed in 50 countries, putting around 228 million children at risk. – WHO