The routine immunisation of children is increasing again following a sharp decline during the Covid-19 crisis, the United Nations reported on Tuesday, but it issued a dire warning that there are still grave gaps.
Data from the UN health and children's organisations show that four million more children received recommended childhood vaccinations in the past year than in 2021.
“That’s a good news story,” World Health Organization vaccine chief Kate O’Brien told AFP.
“On average, countries around the world are recovering and are immunizing toward the level of immunization that was achieved before the pandemic hit.”
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus agreed, describing the fresh data as “encouraging.”
He warned though that “global and regional averages don’t tell the whole story and mask severe and persistent inequities.”
“When countries and regions lag, children pay the price.”
Despite the advancements, 20.5 million children in 2022 failed to receive one or more required vaccinations.
That was a decrease from the 24.4 million a year earlier, but it was still much more than the 18.4 million people who missed out in 2019 before the epidemic struck.
Data from the UN health and children's organisations show that four million more children received recommended childhood vaccinations in the past year than in 2021.
“That’s a good news story,” World Health Organization vaccine chief Kate O’Brien told AFP.
“On average, countries around the world are recovering and are immunizing toward the level of immunization that was achieved before the pandemic hit.”
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus agreed, describing the fresh data as “encouraging.”
He warned though that “global and regional averages don’t tell the whole story and mask severe and persistent inequities.”
“When countries and regions lag, children pay the price.”
Despite the advancements, 20.5 million children in 2022 failed to receive one or more required vaccinations.
That was a decrease from the 24.4 million a year earlier, but it was still much more than the 18.4 million people who missed out in 2019 before the epidemic struck.
