By Joyce Remi- Babayeju
The new data released today by WHO/ UNICEF has showed that owing to COVID-19 pandemic at least a whopping 23 million children were missed out of the routine childhood immunization, which shows that a majority of countries last year experienced drops in childhood vaccination.
The official data published by WHO/UNICEF exposed the backsliding trend in children routine vaccination which caused 23 million children to miss out on basic childhood vaccines in 2020, which recorded the highest number since 2009 and 3.7 million more than in 2019.
The report released in GENEVA/NEW YORK, 15th July 2021 showed the latest set of comprehensive worldwide childhood immunization figures that reflect global service disruptions due to COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the data about 17 million children likely did not receive a single vaccine during the year, widening already immense inequities in vaccine access. Most of these children live in communities affected by conflict, in under-served remote places, or in informal or slum settings where they face multiple deprivations including limited access to basic health and key social services.
WHO Director General Dr. Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “Even as countries clamour to get their hands on COVID-19 vaccines, we have gone backwards on other vaccinations, leaving children at risk from devastating but preventable diseases like measles, polio or meningitis.“
Ghebreyesus stressed that Multiple disease outbreaks would be catastrophic for communities and health systems already battling COVID-19, and urged for a more urgent investment in childhood vaccination and ensure every child is reached.”
In contemporary COVID-19 era in all regions rising numbers of children miss vital first vaccine doses in 2020; millions more miss later vaccines.
Disruptions in immunization services were widespread in 2020, with the WHO Southeast Asian and Eastern Mediterranean Regions most affected. As access to health services and immunization outreach were curtailed, the number of children not receiving even their very first vaccinations increased in all regions, the report showed.
The data showed comparison that 2019, 3.5 million more children missed their first dose of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine (DTP-1) while 3 million more children missed their first measles dose.
UNICEF Executive Director, Henrietta Fore warned, ” the COVID-19 pandemic and related disruptions cost us valuable ground we cannot afford to lose – and the consequences will be paid in the lives and wellbeing of the most vulnerable.”
Fore said, “Even before the pandemic, there were worrying signs that we were beginning to lose ground in the fight to immunize children against preventable child illness, including with the widespread measles outbreaks two years ago.”
According to the two global organizations said that the pandemic has made a bad situation worse. With the equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, and called for everyone’s attention that vaccine distribution has always been inequitable, but it does not have to be.”
The data shows countries with the greatest increase in children not receiving a first dose of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis combined vaccine (DTP-1) in2019 and 2020 respectfully.
The data shows that middle-income countries now account for an increasing share of unprotected children – that is, children missing out on at least some vaccine doses.
This reveals the vulnerability of countries to resurgence of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases .
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, global childhood vaccination rates against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles and polio had stalled for several years at around 86%.
Owing to diversion of many resources and personnel to support the COVID-19 response, there have been significant disruptions to immunization service provision in many parts of the world.
In some countries, clinics have been closed or hours reduced, while people may have been reluctant to seek healthcare because of fear of transmission or have experienced challenges reaching services due to lockdown measures and transportation disruptions.
CEO of GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, Dr. Seth Bekley said that there are alarming numbers, suggesting the pandemic is unravelling years of progress in routine immunization and exposing millions of children to deadly, preventable diseases,”
“This is a wake-up call – we cannot allow a legacy of COVID-19 to be the resurgence of measles, polio and other killers. We all need to work together to help countries both defeat COVID-19, by ensuring global, equitable access to vaccines, and get routine immunization programmes back on track.
The future health and wellbeing of millions of children and their communities across the globe depends on it.”
WHO/ UNICEF have called on countries to urgently invest in routine vaccination of children.
