WHO And CDC Move To Bridge Miss Out On Measles Immunization
OpenLife Nigeria reports that a joint publication by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlighted that a record high number of children missed out on measles vaccine in 2021.
With the drop in coverage has come an alarming increase in outbreaks, demonstrating the need to restore routine immunization coverage, and work towards longer-term outbreak control through re-doubling efforts to reach zero dose children and communities that consistently miss out on immunization and other essential health services.
The report also highlights the long-term trend and the power of vaccines to save lives: mortality has decreased by 83% during the period 2000–2021 (from 761,000 to 128,000 deaths annually), with an estimated 56 million measles deaths averted by vaccination.
As a primary emphasis, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance works with its partners WHO, UNICEF and others to support routine immunization activities in lower-income countries – helping countries introduce a second dose of measles containing vaccine (MCV2) into routine programs and, given the 95% coverage rate required, conduct vital preventive catch-up and follow-up campaigns to reach un- or under-immunized children. In response to the alarming state of global measles coverage, the Alliance recently announced a push to reach 85 million children across at least 22 lower-income countries through the first half of 2023.
Working through the Measles and Rubella Initiative’s (M&RI) Outbreak Response Fund (ORF), Gavi is also the main funder of measles outbreak response activities in lower-income countries – providing a total of US$ 85 million to cover the more than 60 country applications for outbreak response support the ORF has received since 2013.
Commenting , Dr. Seth Berkley, the Chief Executive Officer of Gavi said:
“The significant decline in measles coverage is alarming. Gavi is supporting lower-income countries to get routine immunization programmes back on track, and continues to fund global outbreak response through the MR&I’s Outbreak Response Fund. As an Alliance we are also pushing further, with targeted efforts to reach zero dose children and communities that consistently miss out on immunization and other essential services. This is fundamental to reducing outbreaks and keeping health systems strong and resilient in the face of other threats.”
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