Coronavirus Denies 23m Children Access To Basic  Vaccines 

The World Health Organization(WHO) and United Nation Children Education Fund(UNICEF) have revealed that 23 million children lost out on basic immunizations through routine immunization services in 2020.

The figure was 3.7 million higher than in 2019,according to the official report released by the two agencies of United Nations Organization on Thursday.

The figure shows  that most countries last year experienced drops in childhood vaccination rates on account of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.

The report said the majority of these children up to 17 million are unlikely to have received even a single vaccine during the year, exacerbating already significant gaps in vaccine access.

It added most of the children  live in conflict-affected areas that are underserved remote places, or in informal or slum settings where they face multiple deprivations including limited access to basic health and key social services.

WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hinted that , “Even as countries clamour to get their hands on COVID-19 vaccines, we have gone backwards on other vaccinations, leaving children at risk from devastating but preventable diseases like measles, polio or meningitis.Multiple disease outbreaks would be catastrophic for communities and health systems already battling COVID-19, making it more urgent than ever to invest in childhood vaccination and ensure every child is reached.”

Ghebreyesus said in all regions,rising numbers of children miss vital first vaccine doses in 2020; millions more miss later vaccines

Disruptions in immunization services were widespread in 2020, with the WHO Southeast Asian and Eastern Mediterranean Regions most affected.

He said as access to health services and immunization outreach were curtailed, the number of children not receiving even their very first vaccinations increased in all regions.

He added:”As compared with 2019, 3.5 million more children missed their first dose of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine (DTP-1) while 3 million more children missed their first measles dose”

Besides,UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said that , “This evidence should be a clear warning – the COVID-19 pandemic and related disruptions cost us valuable ground we cannot afford to lose – and the consequences will be paid in the lives and wellbeing of the most vulnerable.”

“Even before the pandemic, there were worrying signs that we were beginning to lose ground in the fight to immunize children against preventable child illness, including with the widespread measles outbreaks two years ago.

The pandemic has made a bad situation worse. With the equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines at the forefront of everyone’s minds, we must remember that vaccine distribution has always been inequitable, but it does not have to be.”