The International organizations WHO, UNICEF, and Gavi have alerted of an alarming rise in diseases that could be prevented through vaccination, like measles, meningitis, and yellow fever. This warning came as part of their joint statement at the beginning of World Immunization Week which runs through April 24-30. WHO Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pointed out that while vaccines have saved over 150 million lives in the past five decades, reductions in global health funding are now jeopardizing these gains.
Measles, in particular, is seeing a dangerous resurgence with recorded cases up by 20% over the year to 10.3 million in 2023, and this trend seems likely to persist into 2024 and 2025. In 2023, there were 14.5 million children who missed their routine vaccine doses. Furthermore, there has been an increase in meningitis and yellow fever cases in Africa, raising concerns over the adequacy of vaccination among children.
Gavi is asking for at least $9 billion in funding ahead of their June 25 pledging conference to ensure vaccination for 500 million children and save thousands of lives from 2026 to 2030. Funding cuts, misinformation, and crises such as the ongoing conflict in Gaza have been cited as hurdles to raising the necessary support for vaccination efforts. The US has notably slashed humanitarian aid to various organizations since the beginning of the year, exacerbating these challenges.
Source: https://www.dw.com/en/un-warns-of-rise-in-vaccine-preventable-diseases/a-72328262?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
