🇳🇬NigeriaWest Africa
WHO highlights vaccines' impact as World Immunisation Week begins
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
The World Health Organization WHO announced that vaccines have saved over 150 million lives in the past 50 years, protecting individuals and communities from diseases like measles, diphtheria, pertussis, polio, and rotavirus. This statement was made on Friday as World Immunisation Week commenced, running from April 24 to April 30. During this week, WHO and its partners are emphasizing the benefits of vaccines throughout life and the scientific advancements leading to inoculations against malaria, HPV, cholera, dengue, meningitis, RSV, Ebola, and mpox. This year marks the midpoint of Immunisation Agenda 2030, a global initiative led by WHO to ensure access to life-saving vaccines. A report assessing progress indicated that despite challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical instability, climate disruption, and limited financing, immunization efforts over the last five years have prevented millions of deaths. However, most targets are off track due to persistent gaps in routine coverage, equity, and outbreak prevention in many countries. The UN health agency is advocating for renewed commitments to establish more sustainable national programs, stronger integration with primary healthcare, and increased prioritization by global health agencies and partners. On Friday, WHO, along with UNICEF and Gavi, reported that "The Big Catch-up" campaign, launched in 2023 to address vaccination declines, has reached an estimated 18.3 million children aged one to five across 36 cou
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