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Africa

Childhood vaccination rates in poor countries beginning to rise after being hit by COVID-19 disruptions

Health groups called COVID's impact on child vaccination rates 'the largest backslide in a generation'

Associated Press
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Childhood immunization rates began to recover last year in the world's poorest countries after being badly hit by COVID-19 disruptions, according to the global vaccine alliance Gavi.

Last year, 80% of children got their diptheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine, known as DTP3, according to early data from Gavi. That compares to 78% in 2020 and 77% in 2021. Before the pandemic hit, coverage rates had reached 82%.

Global health groups have called the pandemic's impact on routine immunization for children "the largest backslide in a generation".

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While the new data only covers 57 countries supported by Gavi, which are among the poorest in the world, the alliance said it showed the first signs of recovery after two years of deterioration.

Mothers wait with their children

Mothers wait with their children while health workers prepare vaccines at a children's hospital in Bundung, Gambia, on August 30, 2022.  (REUTERS/Edward McAllister/File Photo)

"Millions of children missed out on essential vaccines in the last three years. Catching up these children is a priority this year," added Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. The WHO and UNICEF will provide wider estimates of coverage next month.

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The DTP vaccine is used as a marker for routine immunization coverage more broadly, including shots that protect against other killer diseases such as measles.

Gavi released the data on Tuesday as part of a strategic meeting in Madrid assessing its recent progress, at which it also said it had reached more than 1 billion children with vaccinations since its establishment in 2000.

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Gavi, which is backed by donor governments and philanthropists like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, works with poorer countries to fund bulk-buy vaccination programs.