By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The World Health Organization, WHO, has commended high burden African countries for the elimination of maternal, tetanus through increased immunization coverage .
The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti stated this in a message to celebrate the African Vaccination Week and the 50th Anniversary of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI).
Moeti said, “The Progress towards eliminating maternal and neonatal tetanus in our region has also been commendable.”
“As of March 2024, 43 out of 47 high-burden African countries had been validated for elimination, representing 91% of our Member States in the African Region.”
She noted that over the years there has been strong collaboration among member states , international organizations, health workers and communities in the area of increased immunization coverage rates, which have resulted in elimination of preventable diseases in the African countries.
“At WHO, we have worked collaboratively with partners to launch special initiatives to strengthen immunization efforts.”
Moeti commended strongly African countries for continually investing in immunization and primary health card systems and fostering partnership and collaboration as well as making significant strides towards health for all citizens.
Furthermore, she disclosed that Africa is not resting on its oars concerning increased vaccine developed for the continent.
She said, ” Efforts to strengthen vaccine research capacity in Africa are underway, and our Member States are increasing investments to advance vaccine development in Africa.”
” Through our African Vaccine Regulatory Forum (AVAREF) platform, we continue to engage AVAREF Members in the region while providing oversight, technical expertise, and collaboration opportunities for developing and evaluating vaccines on the continent.”
“Africa Vaccination Week , and World Vaccination Week is to increase awareness of the importance of every person’s need and right to be protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.”
“We keep vaccination high on national and regional agendas for healthy communities. This year, 2024, the week embraces another milestone: the 50th anniversary of immunization, she explained.
She said that the 50 year of increased immunization coverage , results so far recorded includes eradicating smallpox in 1979 and wild poliovirus in 2020.
With the launch of the Expanded Programme on Immunization, in 1974 by WHO, the programme grew and widened, moving from the initially targeted six diseases (diphtheria, measles, polio, tetanus, tuberculosis, and whooping cough) to 14 vaccine-preventable diseases, Moeti said.
