WHO: Kids vulnerable to diseases

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, has warned.
They issued this warning 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 strong systems to deliver them,” WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
“If we’re to avoid multiple outbreaks of life-threatening diseases such as measles, yellow fever and diphtheria, we should 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, more than one third of respondent countries (37 per cent) still report experiencing disruptions to their routine immunisation services.
Mass immunisation campaigns are also disrupted.
According to new data, 60 of these life-saving campaigns are currently postponed in 50 countries, putting around 228 million people – mostly children – at risk for diseases.