New Delhi: Vaccines have saved 38 million lives in South-East Asia, including India, said the World Health Organization (WHO), as part of the World Immunisation Week.
“Each year, in the last week of April, we come together to celebrate World Immunisation Week -- a powerful reminder of the life-saving impact of vaccines. This year’s theme, “Immunisation for all is humanly possible,” reinforces our collective commitment to protect every individual, at every age, from vaccine-preventable diseases,” said Saima Wazed, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia.
She noted that in the last five decades, “vaccines have saved over 154 million lives globally -- an average of six lives every minute”.
“Our WHO South-East Asia Region has been at the forefront, with an estimated 38 million lives saved across the Region,” Wazed added. Notably, the region has maintained wild poliovirus-free status and has also upheld the elimination of maternal and neonatal tetanus as a public health concern.
“Four of our countries have eliminated measles, five have eliminated rubella, and six have achieved control of hepatitis B through immunisation. This has all led to unprecedented improvements in childhood survival,” the Regional Director said.
“In the past two years, three of our countries have launched national HPV vaccination programmes. This is a major step forward in protecting adolescents’ health,” she added.
Moreover, the region proudly vaccinates over 40 million pregnant women and 37 million newborns each year as well as contributing 46 per cent of the global vaccine supply. Yet, “more than 2 million children remain completely unvaccinated,” Wazed said, stressing the need for continuing efforts as the threat of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks is growing worldwide.
She also noted the shrinking global health budgets that are placing additional strain on immunisation programs, surveillance systems, and on outbreak response capacities.
