PHA-Exchange> IMMUNIZATION MAINTAINS STRONG PERFORMANCE MADE IN LAST QUARTER CENTURY

[claudio at hcmc.netnam.vn]

 from Vern Weitzel <vern.weitzel at undp.org> -----
> *4 October 2005
IMMUNIZATION MAINTAINS STRONG PERFORMANCE
> MADE IN LAST QUARTER CENTURY
> *MILLIONS MORE COULD BE SAVED WITH NEW VACCINES, STRONGER HEALTH SYSTEMS
> *
An analysis of the latest immunization 
> global data was published today. The World Health Organization (WHO) and 
> UNICEF, with financial support from the United States Centers for 
> Disease Control and Prevention, conduct world-wide monitoring and work 
> closely with Ministries of Health to produce estimates of immunization 
> coverage each year. The major findings are summarized as follows:
>
>     * Global immunization coverage with three doses of
>       diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP3) vaccine has been sustained
>       at 78% for the year 2004.
>     * 102 countries have reached DTP3 coverage of 90% or more and 80
>       countries are within the 50-89% range. Ten countries in Africa,
>       Asia and Central America have coverage levels below 50%.
>     * There has been dramatic expansion in the use of hepatitis B and/
>       Haemophilus influenzae/ type b (Hib) vaccines. 153 countries now
>       routinely vaccinate children with hepatitis B vaccine, up from
>       12 countries in 1990. 92 countries include Hib vaccine in their
>       routine immunization systems, up from four countries in 1991.
>     * 27 million infants were not immunized with DTP3 in 2004, putting
>       them at risk for life-threatening illnesses.
>     * Five countriesChina, India, Indonesia, Nigeria and Pakistaneach
>       have more than 1 million unvaccinated children accounting for
>       16.3 million (more than 60%) of the world's 27 million
>       unvaccinated children. 
>
>
> > The estimated number of deaths in all age groups from diseases 
> preventable by vaccines currently recommended by WHO, such as measles, 
> hepatitis B, Hib, pertussis, tetanus and others, was 2.1 million in 
> 2002, including 1.4 million children under age five.
>
> Yet, in 2003 alone, immunization averted more than 2 million deaths 
> from vaccine-preventable diseases. An additional 600 000 hepatitis 
> B-related deaths that would have otherwise have occurred in adulthood 
> were also prevented. Historically, immunization is one of the greatest 
> public health success stories ever: smallpox was eradicated in 1980, 
> the global incidence of polio has been reduced by 99% and in just five 
> years (1999-2003) global measles deaths have decreased by 39%, with a 
> 46% reduction in Africa.
>
> A revolution is expected in the next decade in the ways that vaccines 
> are designed, manufactured, financed, delivered and administered. 
> Major breakthroughs are occurring in vaccine development. About 20 new 
> or improved vaccines are anticipated within the next ten years.
>
> 

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