Latest news with #ExpandedProgrammeonImmunization
Indian Express
a day ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Pandemic worsened childhood vaccination rates globally; India, 7 other nations had over half of unvaccinated kids in 2023: study
While there has been unprecedented progress in vaccinating children against life-threatening diseases since the World Health Organization (WHO) established the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in 1974, the last two decades have also been marked by stagnating childhood vaccination rates and a wide variation in vaccine coverage. These challenges have been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving millions of children vulnerable to preventable diseases and death, according to a major new analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study Vaccine Coverage Collaborators, published in The Lancet. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these challenges with global coverage rates of the original EPI-recommended vaccines declining sharply beginning in 2020—resulting in an estimated 15.6 million children missing the full three doses of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine or a measles vaccine between 2020 and 2023, as well as 15.9 million children not receiving any polio vaccine, and 9.18 million missing out on the tuberculosis vaccine. The study estimates that disruptions to immunisation services during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in around 12.8 million additional unvaccinated zero-dose children globally during the four pandemic years (2020-2023). Wide discrepancies remain, with markedly lower coverage and higher rates of under and unvaccinated children in low- and middle-income countries. In 2023, more than half of the world's 15.7 million unvaccinated children were living in just eight countries, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa (53%) and South Asia (13%)—Nigeria (2.48 million), India (1.44 million), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC, 882,000), Ethiopia (782,000), Somalia (710,000), Sudan (627,000), Indonesia (538,000), and Brazil (452,000). 'The challenge now is how to improve vaccine delivery and uptake in areas of low coverage,' said lead author Dr Emily Haeuser in the report. 'The diversity of challenges and barriers to immunisation vary widely between countries and within communities, with rising numbers of displaced people and growing disparities due to armed conflict, political volatility, economic uncertainty, climate crises, and vaccine misinformation and hesitancy, underscoring the need for new, tailored solutions,' she added. The success of the past 50 years is partly the result of a doubling of global coverage for the original vaccines against diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (first dose 49% to 89%; and all three doses 40% to 81%), measles (37% to 83%), polio (42% to 80%), and tuberculosis (38% to 83%) between 1980 and 2023. Additionally, there has been a 75% drop in the number of unvaccinated zero-dose children worldwide from 58.8 million in 1980 to 14.7 million in 2019, as well as the introduction and scale-up of critical new lifesaving vaccines against pneumococcal disease, rotavirus, and a second dose of the measles vaccine. The analysis indicates that accelerated progress will be necessary to achieve the 2030 target of halving the number of zero-dose children compared to 2019 levels, with only 18 of 204 countries and territories estimated to have already met this target as of 2023. Two-thirds (65%) of the zero-dose children that need to be reached by vaccination between 2023 and 2030 live in sub-Saharan Africa (4.28 million) and South Asia (1.33 million). To increase vaccine acceptance and uptake, the authors call for more concerted efforts to tackle vaccine misinformation and hesitancy. As Dr. Haeuser explained, 'Successful vaccination programmes are built on understanding and responding to people's beliefs, concerns, and expectations. Vaccination services must prioritise trust-building, engage community leaders, and tailor interventions with more culturally appropriate local strategies to improve vaccine confidence and uptake.' Anuradha Mascarenhas is a journalist with The Indian Express and is based in Pune. A senior editor, Anuradha writes on health, research developments in the field of science and environment and takes keen interest in covering women's issues. With a career spanning over 25 years, Anuradha has also led teams and often coordinated the edition. ... Read More
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Health Talk: India ranks 2nd in unvaccinated kids but comparison somewhat flawed
India has had the most number of unvaccinated children— 1.4 million— after Nigeria (2.5million), of the 15.7 million unvaccinated children globally in 2023, data published in The Lancet on Tuesday said. The world has made unprecedented progress in vaccinating children against life-threatening disease since WHO established the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in 1974 (HT Photo/ Representative photo) According to the paper, at least half of the world's 15.7 million unvaccinated children in the same year were living in just eight countries, with 53% in sub-Saharan Africa and 13% in south Asia. The Democratic Republic of Congo (882,000), Ethiopia (782,000), Somalia (710,000), Sudan (627,000), Indonesia (538,000), and Brazil (452,000) were the other countries with high unvaccinated children load globally. In the south Asian region, the countries with the highest number of zero-dose children in 2023 after India were Pakistan (419,000), Nepal (11,000), and Bangladesh (6,000). The paper also has new projections through 2030 on global childhood vaccine coverage that shows that the world will fail to meet the World Health Organisation's (WHO) immunisation goals unless substantial improvements are made in the next five years. 'The world has made unprecedented progress in vaccinating children against life-threatening disease since WHO established the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) in 1974. Despite the progress of the past 50 years, the last two decades have also been marked by stagnating childhood vaccination rates and wide variation in vaccine coverage. These challenges have been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving millions of children vulnerable to preventable diseases and death…,' read the paper. Also Read: Health Talk | Need for quick vaccine development to save lives While India has been ranked as the country with the second highest number of zero-dose children, the comparison is somewhat flawed. As the ministry of health and family welfare, government of India, has been maintaining that India's vaccination coverage among children has been growing steadily but owing to the country's large population, their comparison with most other countries cannot be without error. Last year, officials aware of the matter in the government, responded to vaccination coverage estimates released by WHO and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) that showed at 1.6 million India had the second highest zero-dose children in the world after Nigeria with 2.1 million unvaccinated children. The officials said that the estimates were flawed as the country's base population had not been taken into consideration while calculating the numbers and if the population had been considered then the percentage would be much less. Also Read: Health Talk | The crucial role of effective vaccine coverage in tackling antimicrobial resistance It is a valid argument as any numbers coming from India— without considering its baseline population— would seem through the roof. The estimation has to grow more nuanced.
Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
NZ vaccination rate low among high income countries
Between 2010 and 2019, progress in increasing vaccinations stalled and even reversed in some countries, including in 21 of 36 high-income countries such as Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, and US. Australia had the sixth highest number of unvaccinated children in 2023 among high-income countries. New Zealand and Australia had the sixth and seventh lowest percentage of vaccine coverage, respectively in 2023 among high-income countries. By 2030, only the high-income super region is projected to reach the World Health Organization's 2030 immunisation targets, unless drastic changes are made in the next five years. Childhood vaccination rates have dropped in 21 out of 36 high-income countries, with New Zealand ranking among the lowest in terms of coverage, new research has found. According to the major new analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study Vaccine Coverage Collaborators, published in The Lancet on Wednesday New Zealand had the sixth lowest rate of coverage in 2023, just behind Australia. Only Canada, San Marino, Ireland, Austria and Argentina had worse childhood vaccination coverage. Since the World Health Organisation established the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in 1974, more than 4 billion children had been vaccinated, preventing the deaths of an estimated 154 million children. Initially focusing on six childhood vaccine-preventable diseases (tuberculosis, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, and measles), the programme later expanded to include protection against Haemophilus influenzae type B, Hepatitis B, rubella, pneumococcal disease, rotavirus, and human papillomavirus. However, the last two decades have also been marked by stagnating childhood vaccination rates and "wide variation" in coverage - a trend further exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, the report noted. "Between 2010 and 2019, coverage gains slowed and, in some areas of the world, reversed. "For example, 21 of 36 high-income countries experienced declines in coverage for at least one of the original EPI-recommended vaccine-doses (excluding the tuberculosis vaccine, which is no longer included in routine immunisation schedules in some countries) - including a 12% decline in first dose measles vaccination in Argentina, and 8% and 6% declines in third dose diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccination in Finland and Austria, respectively. "Additionally, the proportion of children receiving the measles vaccine declined in 100 of 204 countries, with the largest decrease observed in Latin America and the Caribbean, where coverage fell from around 90% in 2010 to 87% in 2019, resulting in almost one million fewer children being vaccinated against measles in 2019." Children left vulnerable Lead author Dr Jonathan Mosser from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington said this left millions of "under and un-vaccinated" children vulnerable to preventable disease and death. "Routine childhood vaccinations are among the most powerful and cost-effective public health interventions available, but persistent global inequalities, challenges from the COpandemic, and the growth of vaccine misinformation and hesitancy have all contributed to faltering immunisation progress," he said. "These trends increase the risk of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, including measles, polio, and diphtheria, underscoring the critical need for targeted improvements to ensure that all children can benefit from lifesaving immunisations." In 2023, more than half of the world's 15.7m unvaccinated children were living in just eight countries, with 53% in sub-Saharan Africa. Vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks persisted, including polio in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Papua New Guinea, where less than half the population is immunised. In 2024, there was a nearly tenfold increase in measles infections recorded in the European Union and the European Economic Area, while the ongoing measles outbreak in the United States reached over 1000 confirmed cases across 30 states by May 2025. The authors stressed that global immunisation goals for 2030 would not be met without targeted strategies and "efforts to tackle vaccine misinformation and hesitancy".
Business Recorder
20-06-2025
- Health
- Business Recorder
Minister pledges to achieve polio-free future of Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination Syed Mustafa Kamal has said that polio eradication is the top priority of the government and federal health ministry along with provincial health departments are fully committed to achieving a polio-free future for children of the country. He made these remarks while virtually attending the joint session of the Gavi Board and the Polio Oversight Board (POB), where he represented the government of Pakistan and shared key updates on national progress in the fight against polio. He highlighted that the prime minister of Pakistan is personally overseeing the polio eradication efforts and chairs monthly stocktake meetings to review progress. Sharing the latest progress, the minister stated, 'Pakistan has witnessed over a 99 percent decline in polio cases a testament to our coordinated strategy, dedication of frontline workers, and the collective efforts of all stakeholders.' He emphasised the implementation of a joint strategy to reach zero-dose children, with mobile biker teams mobilized to access nomadic and hard-to-reach populations. Underscoring the importance of global partnerships, the minister added, 'Strengthening the integrated immunization system requires continued support from both Gavi and the Polio Oversight Board. We need additional investments to ensure the training and retention of vaccinators.' He noted that enhanced synergy between the polio and EPI (Expanded Programme on Immunization) initiatives is improving immunisation coverage, while coordinated microplanning and effective monitoring are delivering tangible results in the field. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
20-06-2025
- Health
- Business Recorder
Minister pledges to achieve polio-free future of country
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination Syed Mustafa Kamal has said that polio eradication is the top priority of the government and federal health ministry along with provincial health departments are fully committed to achieving a polio-free future for children of the country. He made these remarks while virtually attending the joint session of the Gavi Board and the Polio Oversight Board (POB), where he represented the government of Pakistan and shared key updates on national progress in the fight against polio. He highlighted that the prime minister of Pakistan is personally overseeing the polio eradication efforts and chairs monthly stocktake meetings to review progress. Sharing the latest progress, the minister stated, 'Pakistan has witnessed over a 99 percent decline in polio cases a testament to our coordinated strategy, dedication of frontline workers, and the collective efforts of all stakeholders.' He emphasised the implementation of a joint strategy to reach zero-dose children, with mobile biker teams mobilized to access nomadic and hard-to-reach populations. Underscoring the importance of global partnerships, the minister added, 'Strengthening the integrated immunization system requires continued support from both Gavi and the Polio Oversight Board. We need additional investments to ensure the training and retention of vaccinators.' He noted that enhanced synergy between the polio and EPI (Expanded Programme on Immunization) initiatives is improving immunisation coverage, while coordinated microplanning and effective monitoring are delivering tangible results in the field. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
