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The Nairobian

Governments urged to step up vaccinations

Health & Science

By Protus Onyango | Jan 28, 2019

Health experts have urged African governments to strengthen their immunisation routine to help curb the surge of vaccine-preventable diseases.

Global immunisation experts attending the biannual Regional Immunisation Technical Advisory Group (RITAG) meeting in Brazzaville, Congo, said in the past five years, immunisation coverage in sub-Saharan Africa had stagnated at 72 per cent, exposing populations to vaccine-preventable diseases and outbreaks.

The experts also emphasised the importance of increased domestic investment in disease surveillance and the need for community engagement to drive vaccine deployment during outbreaks.

“The regional experts’ meeting presented a unique opportunity to assess current and future immunisation needs in Africa. We have mapped out what can and must be done to secure the future of millions of children on this continent,” said RITAG chair Helen Rees.

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Prof Rees said in sub-Saharan Africa, nearly 31 million children aged below five years suffered from vaccine-preventable diseases every year, while more than half a million died due to lack of access to the vaccines.

In 2017, Heads of State endorsed the Addis Declaration on Immunisation, a historic pledge that envisions an Africa in which every child has access to vaccines.