GENEVA, 16 July 2015 (WHO and UNICEF): Updated data on the status of immunization worldwide in 2014 reveal that 129 countries, six more than in 2013, now immunize at least 90 per cent of their children with the required 3 doses of diphtheria-tetanus (stivkrampe)-pertussis (kighoste) containing vaccines (DTP3).
In 2012, all 194 WHO Member States endorsed the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP), and committed to ensuring no one misses out on vital immunizations, with a target of 90 per cent DTP3 vaccination coverage in all countries by 2015.
Earlier this year WHO warned that five of the six targets, including the DTP3 coverage target, contained in the GVAP were worryingly off-track, with only one target, for the introduction of under-utilized vaccines, showing sufficient progress.
The new data highlight the fact that 65 countries will require game changing strategies in order to meet the GVAP goal.
Among them, six countries with less than 50 per cent coverage with DTP3: Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Somalia, South Sudan and Syria.
Mere om Global Vaccine Action Plan 2011-2020 på
http://www.who.int/immunization/global_vaccine_action_plan/en
Worldwide DTP3 immunization coverage stands at 86 per cent for all three doses, with 91per cent of infants receiving at least one dose.
In 2000, 21 million children did not receive even a first dose of DTP, a figure that has now dropped to 12 million.
Stor succes i Indien
Significantly, the updated estimates also show that India, the country with the largest number of unvaccinated children globally, has now achieved over 80 per cert DTP3 coverage.
This has been accomplished through a revamping of the national immunization programme and effective use of the infrastructure built up to eradicate polio in the country.
The updated estimates show that coverage with some essential vaccines other than DTP, has also improved.
The number of children protected from hepatitis B (smitsom leverbetændelse) is high worldwide and increasing steadily.
While just 30 per cent of children received three doses of vaccine against the viral disease in 2000, this rose to 82 per cent in 2014, although more needs to be done to ensure that infants receive their birth dose within the first 24 hours of life.
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine is one of the newest recommended vaccines to fight Hib diseases in children globally and has been introduced in all countries except China and Thailand.
Coverage, however, is still low at just 56 per cent.
Redaktionel forklaring:
Hos nyfødte og små børn giver H. influenzae type b (Hib) bakteriæmi, lungebetændelse, strubelågsbetændelse og akut bakteriel meningitis (hjernehindebetændelse) samt andre infektioner.
Kun hvert femte barn beskyttet mod bakterie-virus
The number of countries using other new vaccines, such as rotavirus and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, has increased. However, challenges remain.
Only 19 per cent of children are protected against rotavirus, despite the fact that some of the countries that have not introduced the vaccine have the largest share of diarrhoeal diseases.
Hvad er rotavirus-diarré?
Se http://www.netdoktor.dk/sundhed/fakta/rotavirus.htm
Se data om WHOs vaccinations-kampagner på
http://www.who.int/immunization/monitoring_surveillance/routine/coverage/en
