About 33 million children will need to be vaccinated in Africa between 2023 and 2025 if the continent is to meet the global immunization targets for 2030, including reducing morbidity and mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases , according to an analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) maintain that the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine immunization services has increased the number of children « zero dose » and under – vaccinated, an increase of 16% between 2019 and 2021.
This increase brings the cumulative total of these children to around 33 million (over the period 2019-2021), representing almost half of the global number.
“The pandemic has dramatically slowed immunization efforts in the Region, leaving millions of children vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases that can cause serious illnesses and even lead to death,” said Matshidiso Moeti, Regional Director of the WHO for Africa.
“As countries strive to emerge from the dark times caused by COVID-19, we cannot afford to lose further ground on disease. Everything must be done to ensure that every child has access to essential vaccines,” she continues.
WHO recalls African Vaccination Week and World Vaccination Week which take place from April 24 to 30 under the theme “The big catch-up”. Implemented by the UN body and its partners, this global initiative aims to intensify efforts to reach children who have not benefited from vaccination, but also to restore and strengthen routine vaccination programs. .
To urgently expand coverage and protect children, WHO and partners say they are supporting 10 priority African countries, which are among the 20 countries in the world with the highest number of zero-dose children, to that they carry out routine vaccination catch-up campaigns.
According to Moeti, “the ambition of ensuring that every child has access to essential vaccines by 2030 remains within our reach if we act now (…) It is time for us to renew our commitment to concretize this ambition and to work together to restore and strengthen essential immunization services and save the lives of millions of children”.
By OMA Newsletter N° 1144 of 24/04/2023
Article published under the direction of Dr. Najib Kettani
The OMA, NGO with an Intercontinental vocation
For the development of cultural exchanges
Valuing human potential
The promotion and consolidation of Africa’s development, and
Inter-African integration
