Both the WHO and the UN children’s organization UNICEF sound the alarm. New figures show that global vaccination coverage is declining. By 2021, as many as 25 million infants will have missed out on life-saving vaccines. This is the largest drop in vaccinations of children registered at about 30 years of age. – This is a red alarm for children’s health. We are witnessing the largest persistent fall in childhood vaccination in an entire generation, says Catherine Russell in a press release. She is the Executive Director of UNICEF. She believes the consequences will be measured in life. Priority food on the table The vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP) is used as a marker for this coverage in and across countries. The proportion of children who received three doses of this fell by five percentage points between 2019 and 2021, the new figures show. And there should be several reasons for the decline. Among other things, incorrect information and covid-19 are mentioned. – The pandemic “forced” parents and families to choose between putting food on the table and getting their children vaccinated. That’s what Kate O’Brien, director of the WHO’s vaccination department, says. Key figures from the UN report Global coverage fell from 86 per cent in 2019 to 81 per cent in 2021 An estimated 25 million children under the age of 1 did not receive basic vaccines. This is the highest number since 2009. The number of girls who were not vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV) increased by 3.5 million compared to 2019. The number of unvaccinated children increased by 5 million from 2019 to 2021. – Tragic The vast majority of children who are not vaccinated live in low- and middle-income countries, the report states. – This is a tragic consequence of the pandemic and the measures against the pandemic. The decline may be due to the fact that the health service has not had the capacity for vaccination, that children have been kept at home, that schools have been closed or that parents have become more hesitant about vaccination as a result of widespread misinformation. FHI chief physician Preben Aavitsland writes this in an e-mail to news. He believes that a huge effort is needed to make up for lost time. The situation at home in Norway looks much better, the superior believes. – We have not seen any decline in support for the childhood vaccination program during the pandemic. This means that the parents have confidence in the vaccination councils. And that the health nurses and doctors at the health stations have made a formidable effort to run the program during the pandemic. Preben Aavitsland is concerned about the vaccine situation in the world. He also believes that misinformation could be part of the problem. Photo: Per-Kåre Sandbakk / news Demanding to reach out with information Director of Communications at UNICEF Norway, Stian Lyberg, says that dramatic figures are being presented. – Large parts of the world are still experiencing pandemics, which makes the work of vaccination demanding. It will require large financial resources to change the situation, he says to news. He also says that knowledge about vaccines is good in western parts of the world, but that it is still demanding to reach out with information. – There are other demanding conditions, such as hunger, drought, war and poverty, which are experienced even more precariously in people’s everyday lives. Lowest level since 2008 According to the new report, it was hoped that last year was a year in which the situation would improve. Instead, DTP3 coverage was reduced to the lowest level since 2008. This historic decline is occurring at the same time as increasing incidences of severe acute malnutrition among children. A malnourished child has already weakened immunity, and lack of vaccinations can mean that common diseases quickly become fatal to them. WHO and UNICEF are collaborating with the vaccine alliance Gavi. Together, they have a strategy and a goal of preventing disease through vaccination among all children in the world. – It is heartbreaking to see that children do not get the protection they need. Now we must prioritize helping those who need it most. Not only through vaccines, but we must also tailor a support to the health systems that will administer this, says Seth Berkley. He is the CEO of Gavi. In Norway, vaccination coverage must be good, according to FHI. No decline has been seen during the pandemic. Photo: Damian Dovarganes / AP
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The largest fall in vaccination of children aged 30 – news Trøndelag
