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As COVID-19 halts vaccinations, urgent action is needed to protect the most vulnerable children from deadly and debilitating diseases
UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) today issued an urgent call for action to avert major measles and polio outbreaks as COVID-19 continues to disrupt immunization services worldwide, leaving millions of vulnerable children at increased risk of preventable childhood diseases.
The two organizations estimate that $ 655 million ($ 400 million for polio and $ 255 million for measles) is needed to fill dangerous immune gaps in non-Gavi-eligible countries and target age groups.
“COVID-19 has had a devastating effect on health services and in particular
immunization services, all over the world “, commented Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,
WHO Director-General. “But unlike COVID, we have the tools and the knowledge to
stop diseases such as polio and measles. What we need are the resources and
commitments to implement these tools and knowledge. If we do, the lives of children
will be saved. “
“We cannot allow the fight against a deadly disease to make us lose ground in
fight against other diseases, “said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director.” Tackling the global COVID-19 pandemic is critical. However, other deadly diseases are also threatening
the lives of millions of children in some of the poorest areas of the world. And for this
today we urgently call for global action by national leaders, donors and
partner. We need additional financial resources to safely resume vaccination campaigns
and prioritize immunization systems that are critical to protecting children and warding off others
epidemics in addition to COVID-19. “
In recent years, there has been a global renaissance of measles with ongoing outbreaks in all parts of the world. Gaps in vaccination coverage were further exacerbated in 2020 by COVID-19. In 2019, measles rose to the highest number of new infections in more than two decades. Annual measles mortality data for 2019 that will be released next week will show the continuing negative toll prolonged epidemics are taking in many countries around the world.
At the same time, poliovirus transmission is expected to increase in Pakistan and Afghanistan and in many underdeveloped areas of Africa. Failure to eradicate polio now would lead to a global resurgence of the disease, resulting in up to 200,000 new cases per year, within 10 years.
New tools, including a new next-generation oral polio vaccine and the next strategic response plan against the measles epidemic, are expected to be implemented in the coming months to help address these growing threats more effectively and sustainably and ultimately , save lives. The Plan is a worldwide strategy to prevent, detect and respond quickly and effectively to measles outbreaks.
Notes for editors:
Download photos and brolls on vaccinations, including polio and measles vaccinations here
Gavi’s generous support, the Vaccine Alliance, has enabled prior access to funding for outbreak response, preventative campaigns, and strengthening routine immunization, including additional recovery vaccination support for children who are been lost due to COVID-19 outages in Gavi-eligible countries. However, significant financial gaps remain in middle-income countries that are not eligible for Gavi. This call for emergency action will go to support those middle-income countries that are not entitled to Gavi’s support.
About UNICEF
UNICEF works in some of the most difficult places in the world to reach the most disadvantaged children in the world. In 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for all. For more information on UNICEF and its work for children, visit www.unicef.org. For more information on COVID-19, visit www.unicef.org/coronavirus. To learn more about UNICEF’s work on immunization, visit https://www.unicef.org/immunization
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Information on the Global Polio Eradication Initiative
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is led by WHO, Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Information on the Measles and Rubella Initiative
The Measles & Rubella Initiative (M&RI) is a partnership between the American Red Cross, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), UNICEF, the United Nations Foundation and the World Health Organization. Working with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and other stakeholders, the Initiative is committed to building and maintaining a world without measles, rubella and congenital rubella syndrome. Since 2000, M&RI has helped deliver over 5.5 billion doses of measles vaccine to children around the world and has saved over 23 million lives by increasing vaccination coverage, responding to epidemics, monitoring and evaluation, and supporting demand. of vaccine.
Media contacts
Oliver Rosenbauer
Communications manager
World Health Organization
Phone: +41 79 500 6536
Email: [email protected]
Margaret Harris
Mobile: +41 792906688
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Sabrina Sidhu
Communication specialist
UNICEF
Phone: +12128246583
Mobile: +1 917 476 1537
Email: [email protected]
Marixie Mercado
UNICEF
Mobile: +41795597172
Email: [email protected]
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