WHO: Vaccination Efforts Have Prevented 150 Million Deaths in Five Decades

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that vaccines have saved more than 150 million lives over the last 50 years, as people around the world opted to protect themselves and their communities against diseases such as measles, diphtheria, pertussis, polio, and rotavirus.

The statement was released on Friday to mark the start of World Immunisation Week, observed from April 24 to 30.

WHO and partner organisations are using the week to emphasise the life-saving impact of vaccines at every stage of life, along with scientific innovations that have led to vaccines against malaria, HPV, cholera, dengue, meningitis, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Ebola, and mpox.

The event coincides with the mid-point of the Immunisation Agenda 2030, a WHO-led global strategy designed to ensure equitable access to vaccines worldwide.

According to a new progress report, immunisation programmes have averted millions of deaths in the past five years despite disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical instability, climate challenges, and funding limitations.

However, WHO warned that most global targets are still not on track, citing persistent gaps in routine vaccination coverage, equity, and outbreak prevention.

The organisation is calling for stronger national immunisation systems, better integration with primary healthcare, and increased commitment from global health stakeholders.

In a related announcement on Friday, WHO, UNICEF, and Gavi said the “Big Catch-up” campaign has reached about 18.3 million children aged one to five in 36 countries since its launch in 2023.

The campaign has also delivered 23 million doses of inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) to unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children as part of efforts to eradicate polio globally.

Officials say the initiative remains on course to vaccinate at least 21 million children.

Africans Angle News