Global partners strategise to vaccinate millions of children, restore immunisation

By Franca Ofili

Abuja, April, 25, 2023

The Global Partners, an NGO, announced a new effort: “The Big Catch-up”, to vaccinate millions of children and restore immunisation progress lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It said in a statement on Monday that the pandemic saw essential immunisation levels decrease in over 100 countries, leading to rising outbreaks of measles, diphtheria, polio and yellow fever.

It said that the “Big Catch-up’ was an extended effort to lift vaccination levels among children to at least pre-pandemic levels and endeavours to exceed.

“Led by a broad range of national and global health partners, the Big Catch-up also aims to ensure stronger primary health care services for essential immunisation in the future.

In a speech, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organisation, said millions of children and adolescents, particularly in lower-income countries, have missed out on life-saving vaccinations, while outbreaks of these deadly diseases have risen.

Ghebreyesus said on Monday that the organisation was supporting dozens of countries to restore immunisation and other essential health services.

” Catching up is a top priority. No child should die of a vaccine-preventable disease,”  he said.

Also, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said that routine vaccines were typically a child’s first entry into their health system.

According to her, children who missed out on their early vaccines are at added risk of being cut out of health care in the long run.

“The longer we wait to reach and vaccinate these children, the more vulnerable they become and the greater the risk of more deadly disease outbreaks.

“Countries, global partners and local communities must come together to strengthen services, build trust and save lives.” she said.

Dr Seth Berkley, Chief Executive Officer, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, said the partners could not allow a legacy of the pandemic to be the undoing of many years’ work, protecting more and more children from deadly, preventable diseases.

“Global health partners, working with governments and communities, must do everything we can to protect the life of every child,” Berkley said.

Dr Chris Elias, President of Global Development at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, said vaccines were a public health triumph.

“The incredible progress that has been made towards ending polio and reducing the incidence of infectious diseases is the direct result of thousands of dedicated global partners and local health workers who have worked to immunise millions of children.

“We must double down to reach all children with the vaccines they need to live healthier lives and ensure that future generations live free of preventable diseases like polio,” Elias said.