The World Health Organization (WHO) released a statement to reveal the results of a study that will soon be published in The Lancet about the number of lives that could be saved thanks to the efforts to expand access to vaccines.
It is estimated that in the last 50 years, immunization prevented the premature death of approximately 154 million people “or the equivalent of 6 lives every minute of every year”at a global level, they express from the institution. The analysis will be published on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI).
The vast majority, around 101 millionof the saved individuals They were babies. The most influential vaccine was measleswhich includes the 60% of the lives that were saved. “This vaccine is likely to remain the main taxpayer to the prevention of future deaths,” explains the WHO.
Thanks to inoculations smallpox could be eradicatedand cases of poliomyelitis (which is close to being eradicated), malaria and HPV (human papillomavirus) that causes cervical cancer. Given this, the Director General of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, commented that “vaccines They are among the most powerful inventions of history, as they make diseases that were previously feared preventable.”
Within the framework of the World Immunization WeekWHO, UNICEF, Gavi and BMGF present the campaign “Humanly possible”. This initiative “calls on world leaders to promote, support and fund vaccines and immunization programs that provide these life-saving products, reaffirming their commitment to public healthwhile celebrating one of humanity’s greatest achievements.”
As previously mentioned, the overwhelming majority of lives saved were those of babies and infants. Not only did they survive their childhood, but the WHO clarifies that, on average, They managed to reach the age of 66 with full health.
Because of this, the organization insists that it is vital immunization push in all countries to continue protecting children against diseases. Furthermore, warn that about 67 million children They did not receive the amount of vaccines they required during the pandemic, and this situation must be reversed through the efforts of the vaccination campaigns.
He Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) It was founded in 1974 with the aim of “vaccinating all children against diphtheria, measles, whooping cough, polio, tetanus, tuberculosis and smallpox,” the WHO says.
At this time, only the 5% of breastfed babies they could have access to vaccination. But the current situation is drastically different, with the 84% of this age group protected against diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (DTP).
After 26 years, in 2000, the WHO, UNICEF and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) came together to found Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Since its creation, they have increased the scope of the PAI and focused their efforts on ensuring that immunization reaches the poorest countries in order to make the fight against infections equitable, and all people can access the necessary vaccines. “Vaccines are truly the best investment we can make to ensure that all people, regardless of where they are born, have the same right to a healthy future” stated Dr. Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi.
The PAI initiative evolved and is today known as the Essential Immunization Program (PEI), which covers professional recommendations on vaccination against 13 diseases in general, and against another 17 more specifically, depending on the contexts in which they arise. Its objective is that immunization reach people of all ages.
The research highlights that vaccination against 14 diseases helped decrease in infant mortality by 40% globally, and 50% on the continent of Africa. The vaccines were against the following conditions: diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae type B, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, measles, meningitis A, whooping cough, invasive pneumococcal disease, poliomyelitis, rotavirus, rubella, tetanus, tuberculosis, and yellow fever.
As to the measles vaccinewhich saved around 94 million lives, according to data from 2022 there are still 22 million children who did not receive it and others 11 million who only received one of the two doses. Thus, did not develop immune defenses to combat the disease. This is the reason why outbreaks continuesince “a coverage of 95% or more is needed with 2 doses of the measles vaccine” to avoid them, according to what the WHO commented.
With the efforts of UNICEF and contributing countries, more than 2 billion vaccines They are distributed and administered in the areas, densely populated or remote, where they are most needed. In this way they managed to reach almost half of the children worldwide. “Thanks to vaccines, there are now more children surviving and thriving after his fifth birthday than at any other time in history,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
The study will show data on only 14 preventable diseases through vaccination, therefore the results of the number of lives saved could be older. Furthermore, they highlight that scientific advances have allowed the existence of vaccines against more than 30 diseases that could be deadly. “We cannot let this incredible progress falter. To the continue investing in immunization“We can ensure that every child, and every person, has the opportunity to live a healthy and productive life,” concluded Dr. Chris Elias, President of Global Development at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The WHO clarifies that by 2030 they expect eliminate cervical cancer through efforts to immunize the population against HPV, a vaccine that is not in the analysis, but whose data are promising in relation to decrease in the number of deaths to future.
From the organization they declare that “the introduction of new vaccines, such as those for malaria, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and meningitis, as well as vaccines against cholera and Ebola used during outbreaks, will save even more lives in the next 50 years”. Thanks to the efforts of global vaccination programs, and the joint work of scientists, nations, health organizations and charitable organizations, it will be possible to continue expanding the access to immunization.
The future of the EPI will focus on ensuring that all age groups have access to vaccines and can be inoculated against dangerous diseases that affect them, both specifically and in general.
