Secure Future: Pulse Polio Drops Administered in Kerala
Photo Credit: K.K. Mustafah
The Story So Far
World health leaders have warned that diseases that can be prevented through vaccination, such as measles, meningitis, and yellow fever, are re-emerging. Millions of children are missing vaccinations due to funding cuts and disruption in immunization programs. The World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and Gavi have issued a joint warning, urging leaders to strengthen vaccination efforts and give the issue urgent political attention.
What Set Alarm Bells Ringing?
A recent WHO rapid stock take with 108 country offices in low- and lower-middle-income countries showed that nearly half of these countries are facing moderate to severe disruptions in vaccination campaigns, routine immunization, and access to supplies due to reduced donor funding. Disease surveillance, including for vaccine-preventable diseases, has also been impacted in more than half the countries surveyed.
Why is Vaccination Important?
WHO states that immunization is a ‘best buy’ in health, with a return on investment of $54 for every dollar invested. Over the last 50 years, essential vaccines have saved at least 154 million lives, and vaccination accounts for 40% of the improvement in infant survival. Vaccines help protect individuals from diseases like measles, polio, tuberculosis, and more recently COVID-19. By reducing the incidence of infectious diseases, immunization also builds herd immunity.
What is the Way Forward?
The WHO, UNICEF, and Gavi urgently call for parents, the public, and politicians to strengthen support for immunization. The agencies emphasize the need for sustained investment in vaccines and immunization programs and urge countries to honor their commitments to the Immunization Agenda 2030. Gavi’s pledging summit on June 25, 2025, seeks to raise at least $9 billion from donors to fund an ambitious strategy to protect 500 million children, saving at least eight million lives from 2026 to 2030.
Reference : https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/are-vaccine-preventable-diseases-rising-explained/article69535515.ece
