Vaccines are lifesavers, WHO insists as world immunisation week begins

As World Immunisation Week commences, the World Health Organization (WHO) has underscored the profound impact of vaccines, crediting them with saving over 150 million lives globally in the last half-century. This annual observance, running from April 24 to April 30, serves as a critical reminder of the life-saving power of inoculations against a spectrum of diseases, from common childhood illnesses to emerging threats.

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The WHO and its partners are highlighting the benefits of vaccines at every stage of life, as well as the scientific breakthroughs that have led to tried and tested inoculations against malaria, HPV, cholera, dengue, meningitis, RSV, Ebola and mpox.

This year's event marks a significant midpoint for the Immunisation Agenda 2030, a global initiative led by the WHO aimed at ensuring universal access to vaccines. While progress has been made, with immunization efforts averting millions of deaths even amidst unprecedented global challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical instability, the WHO acknowledges that most targets are still not being met. Persistent gaps in routine coverage and equity remain a concern across many nations.

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The Big Catch-up, a historic international effort to address vaccination declines largely driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, has reached an estimated 18.3 million children aged one to five across 36 countries since its launch in 2023.

In response to declining vaccination rates, largely attributed to the pandemic, the WHO, UNICEF, and Gavi have launched "The Big Catch-up." This major international effort has already reached millions of children across 36 countries, providing essential vaccines and aiming to meet ambitious targets. The UN health agency is urging for renewed global commitment to strengthen national immunization programs, integrate them more effectively with primary healthcare, and elevate their priority among global health actors. The message is clear: sustained effort and investment are crucial to ensure that the benefits of vaccines reach everyone, everywhere.

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The UN health agency is calling for renewed commitments to build more sustainable national programmes, stronger integration with primary healthcare, and greater prioritisation by global health agencies and partners.