The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that terminating immunisation services during COVID-19 pandemic, risks triggering a resurgence of diseases that can be prevented with safe and effective vaccines.
WHO gave the warning in a statement on Thursday ahead of the World Immunisation Week scheduled for April 24-30.
World Immunisation Week is a global public health campaign to raise awareness and increase rates of immunisation against vaccine-preventable diseases around the world.
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WHO maintained that when immunisation services were disrupted, even for brief periods during emergencies, the risk of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks, such as measles and polio, increase.
“Last year’s deadly measles outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which took more than 6000 lives in a country already facing its largest Ebola outbreak, highlights the importance of maintaining essential health services, such as immunization in times of emergency.
“Further disease outbreaks will also overwhelm health systems already battling the impacts of COVID-19,” it said.
Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said that disease outbreaks must not remain a threat when there are safe and effective vaccines to protect.
“While the world strives to develop a new vaccine for COVID-19 at record speed, we must not risk losing the fight to protect everyone, everywhere against vaccine-preventable diseases.
“These diseases will come roaring back if we do not vaccinate.”
WHO said it is working with partners all over the world to accelerate research and development of a safe and effective vaccine and ensure equitable access for the billions of people who will need it.
“But even with an expedited process, development of a vaccine for COVID-19 will take time.
“Precautionary measures are essential now to help keep us safe from disease, including diseases for which vaccines already protect children and adults,” it said.
The health agency, however, said that too many people were still excluded from the benefits of vaccines.
It said that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the world had made immense progress in ensuring that children were vaccinated.
“In 2018, 86 per cent of children under the age of five globally were vaccinated with three doses of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP3) and one dose of the measles vaccine, up from 72 per cent in 2000 and 20 per cent in 1980.
“The number of children paralysed by polio has been reduced by 99.9 per cent worldwide.
“Yet, global vaccination coverage is still far from the 95 per cent coverage needed to fully protect communities against outbreaks of this vaccine-preventable disease.” WHO said.
It noted that in 2018, nearly 20 million children worldwide, more than 1 in 10, missed out on lifesaving vaccines, such as measles, diphtheria and tetanus.
“Roughly, 13 million of the children have never received any vaccines, putting them and their communities at risk of disease and death.
“The majority of these children live in countries with already fragile health systems, further limiting their access to essential health services when they fall sick,” it said.
It added that Measles continues to remain an ever-present threat, especially if vaccination rates drop.
WHO said that current projections indicate that as many as 800, 000 people may have been infected with the disease in 2019.
“In 2020, there are increasing concerns about another resurgence, especially if vaccination rates fall due to delay or suspension of scheduled immunisation activities as a result of COVID-19,” WHO said.
The statement noted that outbreaks of polio, diphtheria and yellow fever were also of high concern, especially in the countries least able to respond quickly and decisively to address an emerging outbreak.
It noted that this was seen in previous emergencies such as the polio outbreak in Syria in 2013.
WHO advises that as the response to COVID-19 continues, countries must act now to protect immunisation services, in order to further minimise disease outbreaks and loss of life.
“This includes, facilitating urgent catch-up programmes in places where services have been disrupted, ensuring strong supply chains, disease surveillance and trained health workers.
“Caregivers should also make sure they continue to vaccinate their children in line with national policies,” it said.
It added that new WHO guidelines on immunisation and COVID-19 recommend that governments temporarily pause preventive immunisation campaigns where there is no active outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease.
But it, however, urged countries to prioritise the continuation of routine immunization of children in essential service delivery, as well as adult vaccinations such as influenza for groups most at risk.
WHO stressed that if immunisation services must be suspended, urgent catch-up vaccinations should be rescheduled as soon as possible and those most at risk given priority.