World Health Organization: Immunization saves 1.8 million people in Africa in one year

The organization said in a press statement that since 2024, more than five million children who have not received any routine vaccine have been vaccinated through the “Great Compensation” initiative launched in 24 priority countries to prevent disease outbreaks and enhance health systems.

She added that this progress is attributed to governments and the support of partners, including the global alliance of vaccine and immunization (Ghafi), UNICEF, and the World Health Organization.

The organization said that despite the high birth rate, Africa recorded an increase in the coverage of the screw vaccine, the custula and the one who has a one-year-old child, from 72 percent in 2022 to 74 percent in 2023, showing signs of routine immunization recovery after the Kofid-19. Countries such as Chad, Cameroon, Ethiopia and Uganda have witnessed remarkable gains.

According to the organization, Africa witnessed a 93 % decrease in cases of polio 1 between 2023 and 2024, and a decrease of 65 percent during the past year alone.

Presentation and challenges

Dr. Chicoy Ehikuzo, Acting Regional Director of the World Health Organization of Africa, said: “We have made great progress in expanding the scope of vaccination and saving lives, thanks to the dedication of governments and partners. But we still have a lot to cover it.”.

The organization said that despite the progress made, a child of every four children is still a lack of vaccination, and a child out of five unjustly children, as many countries face repeated outbreaks of the disease, especially measles.

According to the organization, these gaps can be attributed to limited access to health care in remote areas, logistical restrictions, cooling chain, frequency in receiving vaccines due to misleading information, and a lack of funding for fortification programs. These challenges are exacerbated by the disturbances caused by public health emergencies.

It is noteworthy that this year’s global immunization week started on April 24, and aims to ensure the protection of more children, adolescents, adults and their local communities from preventive diseases with vaccines.