A UN-led global immunization strategy was unveiled yesterday to reach more than 50 million children who have missed lifesaving jabs against measles and other diseases because of COVID-19 disruption.
WHO, along with UNICEF and the vaccine alliance Gavi, said their new global strategy has the potential to save 50 million lives within less than a decade.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, to avoid multiple outbreaks of life-threatening diseases like measles, yellow fever and diphtheria, it must be ensured that routine vaccination services are protected in every country in the world.
A WHO survey showed more than one third of countries were still seeing disruptions to their routine immunisation services. The joint statement said, around 60 mass vaccination campaigns were currently postponed in 50 countries, putting 228 million people, mostly children, at risk of diseases such as measles and polio.