During World Immunization Week, April 24-30, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners are highlighting the benefits of vaccines at every stage of lifeas well as scientific advances that have led to proven vaccines against malaria, HPV, cholera, dengue, meningitis, RSV, Ebola and mpox.
This year marks the midpoint of the Immunization Agenda 2030, a global push, led by WHO, to ensure that everyone can benefit from life-saving vaccines. A report released to assess progress made so far found that, despite unprecedented challenges – including the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical instability, climate disruptions and limited funding – immunization efforts over the past five years have prevented millions of deaths.
However, most targets still off trackwith persistent gaps in routine coverage, equity and outbreak prevention in many countries.
The UN health agency calls for Renewed commitments to build more sustainable national programs, greater integration with primary health care and greater prioritization. by global health agencies and partners.
Great results for children
On Friday, WHO, together with the United Nations children’s agency (UNICEF) and the Vaccine Alliance (GAVI), announced that The Big Catch-Up, a landmark international effort to address the vaccination decline largely driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, has reached approximately 18.3 million children between one and five years old in 36 countriessince its launch in 2023.
The campaign also provided 23 million doses of inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) to unvaccinated and undervaccinated children, an essential intervention for polio eradication. The initiative is It is expected to be on track to meet its goal of vaccinating at least 21 million children..
Watch for a UN video report from New Jersey where a family reflects on how vaccines help protect the youngest members of the community, allowing them to grow up safe enough to just be kids. The report will be available on PakGazette next week.
