During the year 2021, the number of life saving vaccines for children remained very low. It is being told that this is the biggest decline in the last 30 years. According to the latest data from WHO and UNICEF, more than 25 million newborns worldwide did not receive basic vaccines last year. Significantly, global vaccination was decreasing continuously, but it increased significantly during the corona epidemic.
According to the WHO and UNICEF, there was a significant decline in the vaccination of newborns during the year 2021, which is the highest in the last 30 years. Looking at the data, during 2019, there was a five percent drop in the number of children taking three doses of protection against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (DTP3). This figure rose to 81 percent in 2021. This means that in 2021 alone, 25 million children did not receive one or more doses of the DTP vaccine. This number is 20 lakh more than in 2019 and 2020.
This decline proves that these children are in danger. The main reason for this decline is living in war-torn areas and the misconceptions spread due to Corona. The supply of vaccines has also been affected due to Kovid. It is believed that health services were fully engaged in prevention of the epidemic, due to which there was a shortage of resources for vaccination.
Most of these countries including India
The greatest decline in immunization of newborns occurred in middle- and low-income countries. These countries include India, Nigeria, Indonesia, Ethiopia and Philippines etc. UNICEF India’s Manik Chatterjee said that despite the Kovid epidemic, India has tried its best not to reduce vaccination. India will start the work of immunization of children again.
UNICEF Executive Director Katherine Russell said: “A severe lack of immunization is very dangerous for the health of children. We are seeing a steady decline in immunization of children. This may put their life in danger. There was a steady decline in vaccination due to the Kovid-19 infection and lockdown. We need to reach the vaccination catch-ups to the children who have survived the vaccination.
According to UNICEF, global coverage of the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine has decreased by more than a quarter of the increase it achieved in 2019. This will have a serious impact on the health of women and girls. Globally, the coverage of the first dose of HPV is only 15 per cent, despite more than 15 years since its first vaccine was licensed. The World Health and Child Welfare Fund had said that in the year 2021, new records will be set and will accelerate the vaccination program. Under this, vaccines will be given to those children who missed out in 2020. However, the reality was the opposite. DTP3 coverage reached 2008 levels. There was also a decline in coverage of other basic vaccines. The world has deviated from meeting the goals of global vaccination.
WHO and UNICEF are working with the Gavi Vaccine Alliance and other partners for the Global Immunization Agenda 2030. Its purpose is to make a strategy for all countries, to provide vaccines everywhere and to prevent diseases through vaccination. Dr. Seth Berkla, CEO of the Gavi Vaccine Alliance, said the increase in the number of children missing out on preventive vaccines for the second year in a row is disappointing. The Alliance’s priority should be to help countries maintain, restore and strengthen routine vaccinations. Along with this, there is also a need to implement the plans of Kovid-19 vaccination.
UNICEF has said that there has been a historic drop in vaccination rates. At the same time, the rate of severe malnutrition among children is also increasing rapidly. Malnourished children already have a weakened immune system and not being vaccinated means increasing the risk of diseases in early childhood. It can be fatal for children. The hunger crisis and the increasing vaccination gap can also put the child’s life at risk. According to the report, there has been a decline in vaccine coverage in every region. East Asia and the Pacific showed a significant drop in DTP3 coverage, exceeding nine per cent.
WHO Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says that along with dealing with Kovid-19, vaccination should also continue for life-threatening diseases such as measles, pneumonia and diarrhea. There is no question of choosing either of the two vaccinations. Along with covid, it is also necessary to protect against other diseases. The coverage of the first dose of measles dropped to 81 per cent in 2021. It has reached the lowest level since 2008. This means that in 2021, 2.47 million children did not take their first dose of measles. In 2019 this number was 53 lakh. Similarly, compared to 2019, more than 67 lakh children did not take the third dose of polio vaccine and 35 lakh did not take the first dose of HPV vaccine. HPV doses protect girls at risk of cervical cancer.
Expansion
During the year 2021, the number of life saving vaccines for children remained very low. It is being told that this is the biggest decline in the last 30 years. According to the latest data from WHO and UNICEF, more than 25 million newborns worldwide did not receive basic vaccines last year. Significantly, global vaccination was decreasing continuously, but it increased significantly during the corona epidemic.
According to the WHO and UNICEF, there was a significant decline in the vaccination of newborns during the year 2021, which is the highest in the last 30 years. Looking at the data, during 2019, there was a five percent drop in the number of children taking three doses of protection against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (DTP3). This figure rose to 81 percent in 2021. This means that in 2021 alone, 25 million children did not receive one or more doses of the DTP vaccine. This number is 20 lakh more than in 2019 and 2020.
This decline proves that these children are in danger. The main reason for this decline is living in war-torn areas and the misconceptions spread due to Corona. The supply of vaccines has also been affected due to Kovid. It is believed that health services were fully engaged in prevention of the epidemic, due to which there was a shortage of resources for vaccination.
Most of these countries including India
The greatest decline in immunization of newborns occurred in middle- and low-income countries. These countries include India, Nigeria, Indonesia, Ethiopia and Philippines etc. UNICEF India’s Manik Chatterjee said that despite the Kovid epidemic, India has tried its best not to reduce vaccination. India will start the work of immunization of children again.
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