WHO: Child vaccination rates still below pre-pandemic levels

Geneva, The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) reported on Monday that global child vaccination rates remain below pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels. A joint report indicated that in 2023, 84% of children were fully vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, a slight decrease from 2019 pre-pandemic levels. The report also noted that the number of children who missed the triple vaccine dose increased to 14.6 million last year, compared to 12.8 million before the pandemic. Armed conflicts pose a significant barrier, with over half of the unvaccinated children living in conflict-affected countries. More than 100 countries have experienced measles outbreaks in the past five years. Katherine O'Brien, Director of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals at WHO, noted an increase in vaccine hesitancy in some countries post-pandemic, leading to child fatalities. Source: Bahrain News Agency