Kuwait- WHO launches new global immunization strategy

(MENAFN - Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) GENEVA, April 26 (KUNA) -- The World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) launched on Monday an ambitious new global strategy to save over 50 million lives through vaccination.In a joint press statement, WHO and partners said that the strategy, themed the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), seeks to maximize the lifesaving impact of vaccines through stronger immunization systems.The strategy focuses on vaccination throughout life, from infancy through to adolescence and older age."If fully implemented, it will avert an estimated 50 million deaths, according to WHO - 75 percent of them in low- and lower-middle income countries," reads the statement which coincides with marking of the World Immunization Week (from April 24 to April 30).It also aims to achieve 90 percent coverage for essential vaccines given in childhood and adolescence and halve the number of children completely missing out on vaccines by 2030.The strategy will also complete 500 national or subnational introductions of new or under-utilized vaccines - such as those for COVID-19, rotavirus, or human papillomavirus (HPV).To achieve these ambitious goals, WHO, UNICEF, Gavi and partners urged world leaders and the global health and development community to make explicit commitments to the strategy and invest in stronger immunization systems, with tailored approaches for fragile and conflict-affected countries."Immunization is a vital element of an effective health care system, central to pandemic preparedness and response, and key to preventing the burden of multiple epidemics as societies reopen, "All countries should develop and implement ambitious national immunization plans that align with the IA2030 framework, and increase investments to make immunization services accessible to all," they said.They stressed that donors and governments should increase investments in vaccine research and innovation, development, and delivery, focused on the needs of underserved populations."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," said WHO's Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus."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." The three organizations (WHO, UNICEF and Gavi) warned earlier today that while immunization services have started to recover from disruptions caused by COVID-19, millions of children remain vulnerable to deadly diseases.A WHO survey has found that, despite progress when compared to the situation in 2020, more than one third of respondent countries (37 percent) still report experiencing disruptions to their routine immunization services.According to new data, 60 of these lifesaving campaigns are currently postponed in 50 countries, putting around 228 million people - mostly children - at risk for diseases such as measles, yellow fever and polio.Over half of the 50 affected countries are in Africa, highlighting protracted inequities in people's access to critical immunization services, according to WHO.Measles campaigns account for 23 of the postponed campaigns, affecting an estimated 140 million people. Many have now been delayed for over a year."Even before the pandemic, there were worrying signs that we were beginning to lose ground in the fight against preventable child illness, with 20 million children already missing out on critical vaccinations," said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore."The pandemic has made a bad situation worse, causing millions more children to go unimmunized. Now that vaccines are at the forefront of everyone's minds, we must sustain this energy to help every child catch up on their measles, polio and other vaccines. We have no time to waste. Lost ground means lost lives." Due to disruptions at the onset of the COVID -19 pandemic, UNICEF delivered 2.01 billion vaccine doses in 2020, compared to 2.29 billion in 2019."Millions of children across the world are likely to miss out on basic vaccines as the current pandemic threatens to unravel two decades of progress in routine immunization," said CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Dr. Seth Berkley. (end) ta.ibi MENAFN27042021000071011013ID1101987099