The World Health Organisation (WHO) has highlighted that vaccines have saved more than 150 million lives worldwide over the past fifty years.
That’s six lives every minute, every day, for five decades. They revealed this as the world observes Immunisation Week from April 24 to 30.
This year’s World Immunisation Week theme, “For every generation, vaccines work”, aims to promote how vaccines have safely protected people, families, and communities for generations and continue to safeguard the future.
WHO says the milestone reached is a result of ordinary people making the decision to protect themselves, their children and their communities from diseases like measles, polio, and rotavirus and many others.
On the African continent WHO Africa, says millions of lives have been saved by vaccines but the progress is slowing down, and too many children remain unprotected.
WHO Africa Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, says that more than 500 million African children have been protected through routine immunisation.
In 2024 alone, 1.9 million lives were saved, and malaria vaccines are now being introduced in 25 member states’ countries which is a major scientific and public health breakthrough.
Janabi however adds that the progress is uneven and, in some places, it is really slow.
“A single vaccine, today, as I speak, 10 countries account for 80% of the zero-dose children in this region. This is a profound equity issue. A child’s chance of survival must never depend on geography, conflict, or even climate shock.
Immunisation agenda 2030 is very clear. Strengthen routine immunisation as part of primary healthcare.”
Immunisation agenda 2030 is very clear. Strengthen routine immunisation as part of primary healthcare.”
–Channel Africa–
