One in four infants across globe still at risk from vaccine preventable diseasesIn Myanmar, greater efforts planned to combat measles Yangon, 07 October 2005 – UNICEF’s latest global report on Progress for Children reveals inadequate progress on protecting the world’s children and women from vaccine-preventable diseases, despite the availability of low cost vaccines.Although the international community has adopted the specific target of immunizing at least 90 percent of children under one year of age in each country by 2010, 74 countries are not on track to meet that goal. In Myanmar, notable progress has been made in some areas over the past decade. Myanmar has remained polio-free since February 2000, and the country is getting closer to its goal of eliminating neonatal tetanus. Despite this progress, immunization coverage still needs to be extended, particularly measles immunization. Last year 78 percent of Myanmar children under one year of age were immunized against measles. Next year UNICEF, its Myanmar health counterparts and other partners plan to immunize approximately 15 million children – the vast majority of all children in the country – against measles. It will be the largest immunization effort ever undertaken in Myanmar. “Measles kills more children across the globe than any other vaccine-preventable disease, and leaves many more afflicted with permanent disabilities,” said UNICEF Representative Carroll Long. “Next year’s measles campaign will help put a significant dent in measles-related mortality, and help put us on the path towards making measles rare in Myanmar.” In Myanmar and across the globe, UNICEF supports the immunization of children against seven vaccine-preventable diseases. “Immunization is currently preventing an estimated two million deaths among children under five every year,” said UNICEF Executive Director, Ann M. Veneman, at the launch of Progress for Children in New York. “Immunization is one of the safest and most cost-effective interventions we know. We need to protect the gains we have made in many countries and expand our efforts in others.” Some 10.6 million children under five die every year. Around two-thirds of these deaths are preventable, including an estimated 1.4 million deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases. “By improving immunization coverage, bringing on new vaccines when they become available and linking immunization with other interventions, such as distribution of malaria bed-nets, we can contribute dramatically to the key Millennium Development Goal of improving child survival,” added Veneman. Coverage of routine immunization, and specifically measles immunization, is a core indicator for tracking progress of Millennium Development Goal 4-the reduction of under-five mortality by two-thirds by 2015 from 1990 baseline figures. Progress for Children uses routine coverage with measles vaccine as a proxy for measuring protection against the basic six childhood vaccine-preventable diseases; measles, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, tuberculosis and polio. UNICEF also supports hepatitis B immunization in many parts of the world. *************** *************** For further information please contact: Jason Rush
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