COVID-19 Pandemic Denied 23 Million Children Access To Immunization In 2020-Report

Over 23 million children were denied access to basic immunizations through routine immunization services in 2020, a World Health Organisation Report has revealed.

The Report which was released by the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday, showed that children living in conflict-affected areas were mostly affected due to limited access to basic health and key social services.

Among countries where children were denied access to first dose of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis combined vaccine (DTP-1) in 2020 were India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Philippines, Mexico.

Others are Mozambique, Angola, United Republic of Tanzania, Argentina, Venezuela and Mali.

The Report showed that middle-income countries now account for an increasing share of children missing out on at least some vaccine doses, with India experiencing a particularly large drop, with DTP-3 coverage falling from 91 per cent to 85 per cent.

The Director-General, WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in his comment decried the fact that as countries clamour to get their hands on COVID-19 vaccines, the world is recording decline on other vaccinations, leaving children at risk of devastating but preventable diseases like measles, polio or meningitis.

“As compared with 2019, 3.5 million more children missed their first dose of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine (DTP-1) while 3 million more children missed their first measles dose.

“Multiple disease outbreaks would be catastrophic for communities and health systems already battling COVID-19, making it more urgent than ever to invest in childhood vaccination and ensure every child is reached.

“In all regions, rising numbers of children miss vital first vaccine doses in 2020; millions more miss later vaccines, disruptions in immunization services were widespread in 2020, with the WHO Southeast Asian and Eastern Mediterranean Regions most affected,” he said.

Also commenting, the UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore, said that this evidence should be a clear warning to countries.

“Even before the pandemic, there were worrying signs that we were beginning to lose ground in the fight to immunize children against preventable child illness, including with the widespread measles outbreaks two years ago.

“The pandemic has made a bad situation worse. With the equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines at the forefront of everyone’s minds, we must remember that vaccine distribution has always been inequitable, but it does not have to be.”