The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called on countries in WHO South-East Asia Region to accelerate action to protect all children with life-saving vaccines being offered under the childhood immunisation programme, focusing on those who have missed all or some vaccine doses, and protecting all adolescent girls from cervical cancer, reports UNB.
"We should aim for a 'big catch-up' to vaccinate all zero dose and partially vaccinated children, and restore immunisation progress lost during the pandemic; protect all adolescent girls from cervical cancer and accelerate efforts to eliminate Measles and Rubella from WHO South-East Asia by 2026," said Saima Wazed, Regional Director WHO South-East Asia, in her inaugural address to the 15th Meeting of the WHO South-East Asia Regional Immunisation Technical Advisory Group (SEAR-ITAG).
The Regional Director acknowledged and thanked all experts, national programme managers, immunisation champions, partners including the vaccinators and community workers, and the communities themselves, on expanded immunisation programme completing 50 years this year.
"We can proudly say, in the last 50 years, together, immunisation programmes have helped hundreds of millions of people in our Region live healthier, longer, more productive, and prosperous lives," the Regional Director said.
"Today, the South-East Asia Region continues to be free of wild polio virus transmission and has maintained elimination of maternal and neonatal tetanus as a public health problem. Five countries have eliminated measles and rubella, and six have controlled hepatitis B through immunization. Seven countries consistently reach over 90 per cent of children with three doses of diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus (DTP3) vaccines," she said.
However, the Region missed the target to eliminate measles and rubella by 2023. The WHO/UNICEF Estimates of National Immunisation Coverage data released last month shows slow progress and no meaningful change in childhood immunization coverage last year compared to 2022, and coverage is yet to be restored to the pre-pandemic 2019 levels.
Being held in New Delhi from 20-23 August, the SEAR-ITAG provides guidance on setting regional priorities for immunisation and offers technical support for strengthening routine immunisation services to member states.
Experts, national immunisation programme managers, surveillance focal points and partner agencies review progress on immunisation coverage, surveillance, and programme issues at this annual meeting.
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