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05 Лютий 2024

Protecting your child against measles, mumps and rubella

Measles is a very contagious disease caused by a virus. It can spread to others when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Other people can become infected if they breathe the contaminated air or touch an infected surface and then touch their eyes, nose or mouth. The measles virus can live for up to two hours in the air. It is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 90% of the people close to that person who are not immune will also become infected. Even though many people know about the disease because of the rash it causes on the skin of the infected person, measles can also cause a high fever, cough and a runny nose. In severe cases, it causes pneumonia, respiratory and neurological complications and can be fatal. Measles symptoms appear 7 to 14 days after contact with the virus, and usually include a high fever, a cough, a runny nose and watery eyes. The measles rash appears 3 to 5 days after the first symptoms. The best way to protect the child against measles is to make sure they get the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine.

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24 Квітень 2019

Vaccine FAQs

Vaccines save lives. Measles vaccines alone are estimated to have prevented over 21 million deaths between 2000 and 2017. Vaccines will help protect your child against diseases that can cause serious harm or death, especially in people with developing immune systems like infants. It’s important to vaccinate your child. If not, highly contagious diseases such as measles, diphtheria and polio, which were once wiped out in many countries, will come back.

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25 Квітень 2019

Over 20 million children worldwide missed out on measles vaccine annually in past 8 years, creating a pathway to current global outbreaks - UNICEF

NEW YORK, 25 April 2019 – An estimated 169 million children missed out on the first dose of the measles vaccine between 2010 and 2017, or 21.1 million children a year on average, UNICEF said today. Widening pockets of unvaccinated children have created a pathway to the measles outbreaks hitting several countries around the world today. “The ground for the global measles outbreaks we are witnessing today was laid years ago,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director. “The measles virus will always find unvaccinated children. If we are serious about averting the spread of this dangerous but preventable disease, we need to vaccinate every child, in rich and poor countries alike.” In the first three months of 2019, more than 110,000 measles cases were reported worldwide – up nearly 300 per cent from the same period last year. An estimated 110,000 people, most of them children, died from measles in 2017, a 22 per cent increase from the year before. Two doses of the measles vaccine are essential to protect children from the disease. However, due to lack of access, poor health systems, complacency, and in some cases fear or skepticism about vaccines, the global coverage of the first dose of the measles vaccine was reported at 85 per cent in 2017, a figure that has remained relatively constant over the last decade despite population growth. Global coverage for the second dose is much lower, at 67 per cent. The World Health Organization recommends a threshold of 95 per cent immunization coverage to achieve so-called ‘herd immunity’. Top ten high-income countries where children not vaccinated with the first measles vaccine dose 2010 - 2017 1. United States: 2,593,000 2. France: 608,000 3. United Kingdom: 527,000 4. Argentina: 438,000 5. Italy: 435,000 6. Japan: 374,000 7. Canada: 287,000 8. Germany: 168,000 9. Australia: 138,000 10. Chile: 136,000 In high income countries, while coverage with the first dose is 94 per cent, coverage for the second dose drops to 91 per cent, according to the latest data. The United States tops the list of high-income countries with the most children not receiving the first dose of the vaccine between 2010 and 2017, at more than 2.5 million. It is followed by France and the United Kingdom, with over 600,000 and 500,000 unvaccinated infants, respectively, during the same period. In low- and middle-income countries, the situation is critical. In 2017, for example, Nigeria had the highest number of children under one year of age who missed out on the first dose, at nearly 4 million. It was followed by India (2.9 million), Pakistan and Indonesia (1.2 million each), and Ethiopia (1.1 million). Worldwide coverage levels of the second dose of the measles vaccines are even more alarming. Of the top 20 countries with the largest number of unvaccinated children in 2017, 9 have not introduced the second dose. Twenty-countries in sub-Saharan Africa have not introduced the necessary second dose in the national vaccination schedule, putting over 17 million infants a year at higher risk of measles during their childhood. UNICEF, with partners such as the Measles and Rubella Initiative and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance , is helping address this measles crisis by: Negotiating vaccine prices: the cost of the measles vaccine is now at an all-time low; Helping countries identify underserved areas and unreached children; Procuring vaccines and other immunization supplies; Supporting supplementary vaccination campaigns to address gaps in routine immunization coverage; Working with relevant countries to introduce the second dose of the measles vaccine in the national immunization schedule. Cameroon, Liberia and Nigeria are on track to do so in 2019. Introducing innovations like the use of solar power and mobile technologies to maintain vaccines at the right temperature. “Measles is far too contagious,” said Fore. “It is critical not only to increase coverage but also to sustain vaccination rates at the right doses to create an umbrella of immunity for everyone.” ###### Notes to editors Download photos and broll here . About the Analysis The analysis is based on UNICEF and WHO’s estimation of national immunization coverage of 194 countries for 2017. Provisional measles and rubella data is based on monthly data reported to WHO Geneva in April 2019. For high income countries, follow the World Bank country classification by income in July 2018. About World Immunization Week Celebrated in the last week of April, World Immunization Week aims to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease. Find more details about UNICEF’s WIW efforts here . About Measles and Rubella Initiative UNICEF is part of the Measles and Rubella Initiative , a private-public partnership including WHO, CDC, United Nations Foundation and American Red Cross that spearheads a global push towards measles and rubella elimination and control. Alexander sits quietly as he waits to get his vaccine at City Children’s Hospital in Ivano-Franskiv in Ukraine. UNICEF/Pavel Zmey Alexander sits quietly as he waits to get his vaccine at City Children’s Hospital in Ivano-Franskiv in Ukraine.

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12 Липень 2019

20 million children miss out on lifesaving measles, diphtheria and tetanus vaccines in 2018

NEW YORK/GENEVA, 15 July 2019 – 20 million children worldwide – more than 1 in 10 – missed out on lifesaving vaccines such as measles, diphtheria and tetanus in 2018, according to new data from WHO and UNICEF. Globally, since 2010, vaccination coverage with three doses of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP3) and one dose of the measles vaccine has stalled at around 86 percent. While high, this is not sufficient. 95 percent coverage is needed – globally, across countries, and communities - to protect against outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. “Vaccines are one of our most important tools for preventing outbreaks and keeping the world safe,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. “While most children today are being vaccinated, far too many are left behind. Unacceptably, it’s often those who are most at risk– the poorest, the most marginalized, those touched by conflict or forced from their homes - who are persistently missed.” Most unvaccinated children live in the poorest countries, and are disproportionately in fragile or conflict-affected states. Almost half are in just 16 countries - Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Haiti, Iraq, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. If these children do get sick, they are at risk of the severest health consequences, and least likely to access lifesaving treatment and care. Measles outbreaks reveal entrenched gaps in coverage, often over many years. Stark disparities in vaccine access persist across and within countries of all income levels. This has resulted in devastating measles outbreaks in many parts of the world – including countries that have high overall vaccination rates. In 2018, almost 350,000 measles cases were reported globally, more than doubling from 2017. “Measles is a real time indicator of where we have more work to do to fight preventable diseases,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF’s Executive Director. “Because measles is so contagious, an outbreak points to communities that are missing out on vaccines due to access, costs or, in some places, complacency. We have to exhaust every effort to immunize every child.” Ten countries with highest reported incidence rate of measles cases (2018) Coverage with measles first dose (2010) Coverage with measles first dose (2018) 1. Ukraine 56 91 2. Democratic Republic of Congo 74 80 3. Madagascar 66 62 4. Liberia 65 91 5. Somalia 46 46 6. Serbia 95 92 7. Georgia 94 98 8. Albania 99 96 9. Yemen 68 64 10. Romania 95 90 Ukraine leads a varied list of countries with the highest reported incidence rate of measles in 2018. While the country has now managed to vaccinate over 90 percent of its infants, coverage had been low for several years, leaving a large number of older children and adults at risk. Several other countries with high incidence and high coverage have significant groups of people who have missed the measles vaccine in the past. This shows how low coverage over time or discrete communities of unvaccinated people can spark deadly outbreaks. Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage data available for the first time For the first time, there is also data on the coverage of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which protects girls against cervical cancer later in life. As of 2018, 90 countries – home to 1 in 3 girls worldwide - had introduced the HPV vaccine into their national programmes. Just 13 of these are lower-income countries. This leaves those most at risk of the devastating impacts of cervical cancer still least likely to have access to the vaccine. Together with partners like Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, WHO and UNICEF are supporting countries to strengthen their immunization systems and outbreak response, including by vaccinating all children with routine immunization, conducting emergency campaigns, and training and equipping health workers as an essential part of quality primary healthcare. ###### For photos and broll, please click here . For the 2018 data, click here . The 2018 data will go live only at 09.00 am EST 15 July. About the data Since 2000, WHO and UNICEF jointly produce national immunization coverage estimates for Member States on an annual basis. In addition to producing the immunization coverage estimates for 2018, the WHO and UNICEF estimation process revises the entire historical series of immunization data with the latest available information. The 2018 revision covers 39 years of coverage estimates, from 1980 to 2018. DTP3 coverage is used as an indicator to assess the proportion of children vaccinated and is calculated for children under one year of age. The estimated number of vaccinated children are calculated using population data provided by the 2019 World Population Prospects (WPP) from the UN. Maryana Dzuba, 9, receives her first dose of MMR vaccine on 21 February 2019 in the medical centre of the Lapaivka village school, Lviv region, Ukraine. UNICEF/UN0284080/ Dyachyshyn Maryana Dzuba, 9, receives her first dose of MMR vaccine on 21 February 2019 in the medical centre of the Lapaivka village school, Lviv region, Ukraine, as part of a three-week long catch-up vaccination campaign to increase MMR coverage among school aged children in the region.

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20 Квітень 2023

New data indicates declining confidence in childhood vaccines of up to 44 percentage points in some countries during the COVID-19 pandemic

NEW YORK, 20 April 2023 – The public perception of the importance of vaccines for children declined during the COVID-19 pandemic in 52 out of 55 countries studied, UNICEF warned today in a new report on immunization. The State of the World’s Children 2023: For Every Child, Vaccination reveals the perception of the importance of vaccines for children declined by more than a third in the Republic of Korea, Papua New Guinea, Ghana, Senegal and Japan after the start of the pandemic. In the new data, collected by The Vaccine Confidence Project and published today by UNICEF, China, India and Mexico were the only countries studied where the data indicates the perception of the importance of vaccines held firm or even improved. In most countries, people under 35 and women were more likely to report less confidence about vaccines for children after the start of the pandemic.* Vaccine confidence is volatile and time specific. Additional data collection and further analysis will be required to determine if the findings are indicative of a longer-term trend. Despite the falls, overall support for vaccines remains relatively strong. In almost half the 55 countries studied more than 80 per cent of respondents perceived vaccines as important for children. However, the report warns the confluence of several factors suggest the threat of vaccine hesitancy may be growing. These factors include uncertainty about the response to the pandemic, growing access to misleading information, declining trust in expertise, and political polarisation. “At the height of the pandemic, scientists rapidly developed vaccines that saved countless lives. But despite this historic achievement, fear and disinformation about all types of vaccines circulated as widely as the virus itself,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director. “This data is a worrying warning signal. We cannot allow confidence in routine immunizations to become another victim of the pandemic. Otherwise, the next wave of deaths could be of more children with measles, diphtheria or other preventable diseases.” “This data is a worrying warning signal. We cannot allow confidence in routine immunizations to become another victim of the pandemic. Otherwise, the next wave of deaths could be of more children with measles, diphtheria or other preventable diseases.” Alarmingly, the decline in confidence comes amid the largest sustained backslide in childhood immunisation in 30 years , fuelled by the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic interrupted childhood vaccination almost everywhere, especially due to intense demands on health systems, the diversion of immunization resources to COVID-19 vaccination, health worker shortages and stay-at-home measures. Today’s report warns a total of 67 million children missed out on vaccinations between 2019 and 2021, with vaccination coverage levels decreasing in 112 countries. Children born just before or during the pandemic are now moving past the age when they would normally be vaccinated, underscoring the need for urgent action to catch up on those who were missed and prevent deadly disease outbreaks. In 2022, for example, the number of measles cases was more than double the total in the previous year. The number of children paralysed by polio was up 16 per cent year-on-year in 2022. When comparing the 2019 to 2021 period with the previous three-year period, there was an eight-fold increase in the number of children paralysed by polio, highlighting the need to ensure vaccination efforts are sustained. The pandemic also exacerbated existing inequities. For far too many children, especially in the most marginalised communities, vaccination is still not available, accessible or affordable. Even before the pandemic, progress on vaccination had stalled for almost a decade as the world struggled to reach the most marginalised children. Of the 67 million children who missed out on routine vaccination between 2019 and 2021, 48 million didn’t receive a single routine vaccine, also known as “zero-dose”. As of the end of 2021, India and Nigeria (both countries with very large birth cohorts) had the largest numbers of zero-dose children but increases in the numbers of zero-dose children were especially notable in Myanmar and the Philippines. The children who are missing out live in the poorest, most remote and marginalized communities, at times impacted by conflict. New data produced for the report by the International Center for Equity in Health found that in the poorest households, 1 in 5 children are zero-dose while in the wealthiest, it is just 1 in 20. It found unvaccinated children often live in hard-to-reach communities such as rural areas or urban slums. They often have mothers who have not been able to go to school and who are given little say in family decisions. These challenges are greatest in low- and middle-income countries, where about 1 in 10 children in urban areas are zero dose and 1 in 6 in rural areas. In upper-middle-income countries, there is almost no gap between urban and rural children. To vaccinate every child, it is vital to strengthen primary health care and provide its mostly female front-line workers with the resources and support they need. The report finds women are at the front line of delivering vaccinations, but they face low pay, informal employment, lack of formal training and career opportunities and threats to their security. “We know all too well that diseases do not respect borders. Routine immunizations and strong health systems are our best shot at preventing future pandemics, unnecessary deaths and suffering." To address this child survival crisis, UNICEF is calling on governments to double-down on their commitment to increase financing for immunization and to work with stakeholders to unlock available resources, including leftover COVID-19 funds, to urgently implement and accelerate catch-up vaccination efforts to protect children and prevent disease outbreaks. The report is urging governments to: Urgently identify and reach all children, especially those who missed vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic Strengthen demand for vaccines, including by building confidence Prioritise funding to immunization services and primary health care Build resilient health systems through investment in female health workers, innovation and local manufacturing “Immunizations have saved millions of lives and protected communities from deadly disease outbreaks,” said Catherine Russell. “We know all too well that diseases do not respect borders. Routine immunizations and strong health systems are our best shot at preventing future pandemics, unnecessary deaths and suffering. With resources still available from the COVID-19 vaccination drive, now is the time to redirect those funds to strengthen immunization services and invest in sustainable systems for every child.” A baby is inoculated against rotavirus in a clinic in Hopital Immaculée Conception, the largest hospital in Les Cayes, Departement du Sud, Haiti. UNICEF/U.S. CDC/UN0695667/Roger LeMoyne

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18 Квітень 2019

UNICEF launches #VaccinesWork campaign to inspire support for vaccines

NEW YORK, 18 April 2019 – UNICEF is launching a new global campaign on 24 April to emphasize the power and safety of vaccines among parents and wider social media users. The campaign will run alongside World Immunization Week from 24 to 30 April to spread the message that together communities, including parents, can protect everyone through vaccines. #VaccinesWork has long been used to bring together immunization advocates online. This year, UNICEF is partnering with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation , the World Health Organization (WHO), and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance to encourage even greater reach. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will contribute USD$ 1 to UNICEF for every like or share of social media posts using the hashtag #VaccinesWork in April, up to USD$1 million, to ensure all children get the life-saving vaccines they need. Vaccines save up to 3 million lives yearly, protecting children from potentially deadly, highly infectious diseases such as measles, pneumonia, cholera, and diphtheria. Thanks to vaccines, fewer people died from measles between 2000 and 2017 and polio is on the verge of being eradicated. Vaccines are one of the most cost-effective health tool ever invented – every USD$1 spent on childhood immunization returns up to USD$44 in benefits. “We want the awareness that #VaccinesWork to go viral,” said Robin Nandy, UNICEF’s Chief of Immunization. “Vaccines are safe, and they save lives. This campaign is an opportunity to show the world that social media can be a powerful force for change and provide parents with trustworthy information on vaccines.” The campaign is part of a global, week-long celebration under the theme, Protected Together: Vaccines Work , to honour Vaccine Heroes – from parents and community members to health workers and innovators. “More children than ever before are being reached with vaccines today,” said Violaine Mitchell, Interim Director of Vaccine Delivery at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “We are delighted to work with UNICEF and all the global and country partners around the world who are working tirelessly to ensure all children, especially those in the world’s poorest countries, can be protected from life-threatening infectious diseases.” Despite the benefits of vaccines, an estimated 1.5 million children died of vaccine-preventable diseases in 2017. While this is often due to lack of access to vaccines, in some countries, families are delaying or refusing to vaccinate their children because of complacency or skepticism about vaccines. This has resulted in several outbreaks, including an alarming surge in measles, especially in higher-income countries. Uncertainty about vaccines on digital and social media platforms is one of the factors driving this trend. That is why the centerpiece of this UNICEF campaign is a 60-second animated film, “Dangers,” which, along with illustrated animations for social media posts and posters, is based on the relatable insight that kids, by their very nature, are little daredevils who are constantly putting themselves in danger. Available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Hindi, Russian, Spanish and Tagalog, the video explains that while parents can’t prevent all the dangers their kids get themselves into, they can use vaccination to help prevent the dangers that get into their kids. In addition, UNICEF experts will be answering questions about vaccination, including how vaccines work, how they are tested, why children should receive vaccines, as well as the risks of not vaccinating children in a timely manner. Additional quotes from campaign supporters: Angélique Kidjo, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and Grammy Award-Winning Singer: “Today nine in ten children receive immunizations, but we cannot leave anyone behind. We must reach every child with life-saving vaccines.” Maisa Silva , 16-year-old, Brazilian TV hostess and actress: "I accepted the invitation to participate in this campaign because I know the importance of vaccines for children's health. It is a way to protect children from various hazards we already know. Health is a very serious matter and we must not forget that vaccines work and are necessary. " ### Notes to editors Download photos and b-roll here , including the “Dangers” video, which is embargoed till 24 April. Learn more about the campaign here . For more information on UNICEF’s work on immunization, click here . On 20 February 2014 in Turkey, a Syrian girl refugee receives a dose of oral polio vaccine, in Osmaniye Province. UNICEF/UN01324/Yurtsever

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10 Листопад 2016

Measles jab saves over 20 million young lives in 15 years, but hundreds of children still die of the disease every day

NEW YORK/ATLANTA/GENEVA, 10 November 2016 – Despite a 79 per cent worldwide decrease in measles deaths between 2000 and 2015, nearly 400 children still die from the disease every day, leading health organizations said in a report released today. “Making measles history is not mission impossible,” said Robin Nandy, UNICEF Immunization Chief. “We have the tools and the knowledge to do it; what we lack is the political will to reach every single child, no matter how far. Without this commitment, children will continue to die from a disease that is easy and cheap to prevent.” Mass measles vaccination campaigns and a global increase in routine measles vaccination coverage saved an estimated 20.3 million young lives between 2000 and 2015, according to UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But progress has been uneven. In 2015, about 20 million infants missed their measles shots and an estimated 134,000 children died from the disease. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria and Pakistan account for half of the unvaccinated infants and 75 per cent of the measles deaths. “It is not acceptable that millions of children miss their vaccines every year. We have a safe and highly effective vaccine to stop the spread of measles and save lives,” said Dr. Jean-Marie Okwo-Bele, Director of WHO’s Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals. “This year, the Region of the Americas was declared free of measles – proof that elimination is possible. Now, we must stop measles in the rest of the world. It starts with vaccination.” “Measles is a key indicator of the strength of a country’s immunization systems and, all too often, it ends up being the canary in the coalmine with outbreaks acting as the first warning of deeper problems,” said Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “To address one of the world’s most deadly vaccine-preventable childhood killers we need strong commitments from countries and partners to boost routine immunization coverage and to strengthen surveillance systems.” Measles, a highly contagious viral disease that spreads through direct contact and through the air, is one of the leading causes of death among young children globally. It can be prevented with two doses of a safe and effective vaccine. Measles outbreaks in numerous countries – caused by gaps in routine immunization and in mass vaccination campaigns – continue to be a serious challenge. In 2015, large outbreaks were reported in Egypt, Ethiopia, Germany, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia. The outbreaks in Germany and Mongolia affected older persons, highlighting the need to vaccinate adolescents and young adults who have no protection against measles. Measles also tends to flare up in countries in conflict or humanitarian emergencies due to the challenges of vaccinating every child. Last year, outbreaks were reported in Nigeria, Somalia and South Sudan. Measles elimination in four of six WHO regions is the global target at the midpoint of the Global Vaccine Action Plan implementation. “The world has missed this target, but we can achieve measles elimination as we have seen in the Region of the Americas,” said Dr. Rebecca Martin, director of CDC’s Center for Global Health. “As the African adage goes, ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ and it takes the same local and global villages to protect children against measles. We can eliminate measles from countries and everyone needs to play a role. This year’s report shows that the 2015 WHO regional measles elimination goals were not met because not every child has been reached – gaps exist. We need to close these gaps, ensure that commitments for adequate human and financial resources are kept and used well to reach every child, detect and respond to every case of measles, and prevent further spread. These efforts will protect all children so that they can become the next generation of leaders. This will also ensure that every country has a strong safety net to stop disease threats where they occur and protect the world from global health threats.” Note to editors: The Global Vaccine Action Plan adopted by the World Health Assembly in 2012 set a goal of eliminating measles in four regions by 2015. Failure to close immunization coverage gaps has resulted in a failure to meet the goal. Since 2000, some 1.8 billion children have received measles vaccination through mass measles vaccination campaigns with support from UNICEF, a founding member of the Measles & Rubella Initiative, launched in 2001 with the American Red Cross, the UN Foundation, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has programmed close to US$1 billion over the period 2016-2020 to help developing countries approach measles in a comprehensive manner that will contribute towards saving more than a million lives. The latest measles mortality data is published in WHO’s Weekly Epidemiological Report and CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report . A mother watches Dr. Nataliya Seredyuk checking her five-month-old baby prior to administering him immunizations at the General Practice Clinic in Bohorodchany, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, Ukraine. UNICEF/UN060130/Zmey A mother watches Dr. Nataliya Seredyuk checking her five-month-old baby prior to administering him immunizations at the General Practice Clinic in Bohorodchany, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, Ukraine.

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13 Грудень 2017

New funding will allow countries to secure sustainable vaccine supplies and reach children more quickly

COPENHAGEN, 13 December 2017 – UNICEF announced today that funding for its Vaccine Independence Initiative (VII), a mechanism to help countries secure a sustainable supply of life-saving vaccines, has more than doubled in the past year, increasing from $15 million to $35 million. The increase was made possible especially by a $15 million financial guarantee from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, adding to a VII capital base that also includes recent contributions from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the United States Fund for UNICEF. Over 60 low-income countries currently benefit from Gavi support to purchase life-saving vaccines. As countries’ economies grow and transition away from Gavi support, the VII gives them access to short-term bridge “loans” so that they can purchase vaccines while waiting for the release of national budget funds. In addition, it provides countries assistance to strengthen the planning and budgeting processes to manage their essential supplies procurement moving forward. VII is one tool to help countries minimize vaccine stock-outs and ensure more children receive vaccines on time. Since 2016, it has helped provide an estimated 91 million doses to children in 23 countries faster than would have otherwise been possible. “Financing mechanisms such as the VII are an essential part of a vaccine supply financing toolkit to improve financial sustainability and ensure supplies are reaching children when they are most needed,” Shanelle Hall, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director for Field Results, explained. “We look forward to continuing our work supporting countries, together with the Foundation and other donors and partners. It is especially critical now, in light of many countries graduating from donor support, inequities in Middle Income Countries and the broader Sustainable Development Goals agenda.” “We know from speaking with government leaders around the world that countries transitioning from Gavi support can face some significant short-term budget and technical difficulties securing their own vaccines,” said Dr. Orin Levine, director of Vaccine Delivery at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “The foundation, along other partners in the Gavi Alliance, are committed to helping countries address these challenges, and the VII is one tool that we have to make sure that children, no matter where they live, are protected against vaccine-preventable diseases.” Vaccines are one of the most effective health interventions in history, and have helped reduce the number of child deaths by more than half since 1990. For every dollar spent on childhood immunizations, countries yield $44 in economic and social benefits. Global immunization coverage for the basic package of vaccines stood at 86 percent in 2016, the highest on record. However, much remains to be done to ensure the sustainability of national vaccination systems and funding, and make essential supplies for children available. “Tools like the Vaccine Independence Initiative are becoming increasingly important as developing countries invest more and more of their own resources in their vaccine programmes, in this case by creating a stable, predicable vaccine supply,” said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi. “This new investment will therefore give a welcome boost to countries moving towards self-sufficiency, helping to ensure children don’t go without life-saving vaccines.” Recent contributions to the VII have been key to support countries who are expanding their national budgets to purchase vaccines, such as Kenya and Chad. Additionally, the recently increased size of VII has allowed the new countries such as Uzbekistan, Cote d’Ivoire, and most recently Tajikistan to sign-up to the mechanism. More countries are in active discussions for new subscriptions. These efforts contribute to providing sustained immunization supplies to an increasing number of newborns in these countries. Note to editors The Vaccine Independence Initiative Launched in 1991, the Vaccine Independence Initiative (VII) is a financial mechanism that enables governments to manage temporary budget shortfalls and facilitate timely procurement of essential supplies. The VII offers flexible credit terms to countries, allowing them to pay after critical supplies are delivered, reducing stock-outs and ensuring a systematic and sustainable provision of goods. In 2015, in order to respond to the increasing use of domestic budgets to fund essential commodities, the UNICEF Executive Board approved the expansion of the capital base from $10 million to $100 million, subject to donor contributions, and authorized the broadening of the fund applicability beyond immunization supplies. Since then, UNICEF has increased its resource mobilization efforts to encourage contributions from government donors and the private sector to expand the capital base of the fund. At the end of 2017, the capital base had increased to $35 million following support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and the United States Fund for UNICEF. A girl gets her oral polio vaccine in a children’s municipal polio clinic in Chernomorsk, Ukraine. UNICEF/UN09083/Bershadskiy

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19 Жовтень 2016

Supply of children’s five-in-one vaccine secured

GENEVA, 19 October 2016 – Breakthrough prices have been achieved with six vaccine suppliers who offered to price pentavalent vaccine at an 84 cents a dose average – half the price that the UN children’s agency currently pays. In the next three years, UNICEF will buy 450 million doses to send to 80 countries. Four hundred million doses will be allocated to Gavi-supported and transitioning countries. The vaccine will protect tens of millions of children from potentially deadly infections caused by diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type b. Since 2001, strong collaboration on market shaping across Gavi Alliance partners, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, WHO and UNICEF, has achieved an affordable and sustainable pentavalent vaccine supply for children in the world’s poorest countries. The new pricing can also be accessed by governments who self-finance procurement of this cost-effective vaccine. It will generate over $366 million in savings for donors and for governments. “Ninety per cent of the world’s children under five who die from vaccine-preventable diseases live in countries whose vaccine supply is no longer fully funded by donors,” said Shanelle Hall, Director of UNICEF’s supply and procurement headquarters. “For the most vulnerable children in the world, pricing can make a difference between life and death,” Hall added. “Gavi estimates that 5.7 million deaths will be averted thanks to pentavalent vaccination in Gavi-supported countries between 2011 and 2020,” said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “The market for five-in-one vaccines is now a lot healthier than it was just a few years ago thanks to our collective efforts to grow a base of vaccine suppliers. We remain committed to making vaccine markets work better for the world’s poorest countries to ensure immunization investments and efforts are sustainable for all.” Achieving milestones in making vaccines more affordable illustrates how collaborative engagement, including with vaccine suppliers, can result in vaccine markets that put children’s health first. Careful monitoring of supply and demand in vaccine markets and consultations with vaccine manufacturers have helped determine the most effective actions to secure sufficient production levels and efficiencies of scale. Between 2001 and 2015, UNICEF’s pentavalent vaccine procurement jumped from 14.5 million to more than 235 million doses, mainly driven by the increase in demand in countries supported by Gavi. Broadening the supplier base reduces the risk of supply shortages and other serious market constraints that could negatively impact children. Collaboration between Gavi, the Gates Foundation and UNICEF leveraged the significant donor funding and through multi-year supplier contracts, improved demand forecasts and special contracting terms, helped grow the pentavalent vaccine supplier base from one in 2001 to six by 2016, and reduce prices. As additional manufacturers become interested in supplying vaccines to UNICEF, competition between them intensifies. Since 2011, UNICEF publishes the prices of all vaccines it procures, giving manufacturers the advantage of seeing what their competitors charge – and this had led to better offers. By 2016, the price for donor-funded and government self-funded pentavalent vaccines was an average of $1.65 a dose. In 2016, a competitive pentavalent vaccine market and excess supply capacity represented ideal conditions to launch a new phased approach to tendering. In the first phase, UNICEF invited interested suppliers to submit a proposed price. After making awards to the most competitive bids, UNICEF published prices and launched a second request for proposals, which gave time for suppliers to sharpen their initial offers. The final awards achieved lowest ever pricing while sustaining a healthy supply market for the longer-term. “Today’s announcement demonstrates that partnerships can bring affordability and price sustainability to the table in supplier discussions, and this is transforming health outcomes for children,” said Hall. ## Pricing information on UNICEF’s 2017-19 pentavalent vaccine supply can be downloaded from: http://www.unicef.org/supply/index_57476.html . A 2 year-old gets her dose of oral polio vaccine in the children’s polio clinic in Ukraine. UNICEF/UN09097/Krepkih

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28 Квітень 2022

UNICEF and WHO warn of ‘perfect storm’ of conditions for measles outbreaks, affecting children

NEW YORK/ GENEVA, 27 April 2022 – An increase in measles cases in January and February 2022 is a worrying sign of a heightened risk for the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases and could trigger larger outbreaks, particularly of measles affecting millions of children in 2022, warn WHO and UNICEF. Pandemic-related disruptions, increasing inequalities in access to vaccines, and the diversion of resources from routine immunization are leaving too many children without protection against measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases. The risk for large outbreaks has increased as communities relax social distancing practices and other preventive measures for COVID-19 implemented during the height of the pandemic. In addition, with millions of people being displaced due to conflicts and crises including in Ukraine, Ethiopia, Somalia and Afghanistan, disruptions in routine immunization and COVID-19 vaccination services, lack of clean water and sanitation, and overcrowding increase the risk of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks. Almost 17,338 measles cases were reported worldwide in January and February 2022, compared to 9,665 during the first two months of 2021. As measles is very contagious, cases tend to show up quickly when vaccination levels decline. The agencies are concerned that outbreaks of measles could also forewarn outbreaks of other diseases that do not spread as rapidly. Apart from its direct effect on the body, which can be lethal, the measles virus also weakens the immune system and makes a child more vulnerable to other infectious diseases like pneumonia and diarrhoea, including for months after the measles infection itself among those who survive. Most cases occur in settings that have faced social and economic hardships due to COVID-19, conflict, or other crises, and have chronically weak health system infrastructure and insecurity. “Measles is more than a dangerous and potentially deadly disease. It is also an early indication that there are gaps in our global immunization coverage, gaps vulnerable children cannot afford,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director. “It is encouraging that people in many communities are beginning to feel protected enough from COVID-19 to return to more social activities. But doing so in places where children are not receiving routine vaccination creates the perfect storm for the spread of a disease like measles.” In 2020, 23 million children missed out on basic childhood vaccines through routine health services, the highest number since 2009 and 3.7 million more than in 2019. Top 5 countries with reported measles cases in the last 12 months, until April 2022 [1] Country Reported Measles cases Rate per million cases First dose measles coverage (%), 2019 [2] First dose measles coverage (%), 2020 [3] Somalia 9,068 554 46 46 Yemen 3,629 119 67 68 Afghanistan 3,628 91 64 66 Nigeria 12341 58 54 54 Ethiopia 3039 26 60 58 As of April 2022, the agencies report 21 large and disruptive measles outbreaks around the world in the last 12 months. Most of the measles cases were reported in Africa and the East Mediterranean region. The figures are likely higher as the pandemic has disrupted surveillance systems globally, with potential underreporting. Countries with the largest measles outbreaks since the past year include Somalia, Yemen, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Ethiopia. Insufficient measles vaccine coverage is the major reason for outbreaks, wherever they occur. “The COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted immunization services, health systems have been overwhelmed, and we are now seeing a resurgence of deadly diseases including measles. For many other diseases, the impact of these disruptions to immunization services will be felt for decades to come,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. “Now is the moment to get essential immunization back on track and launch catch-up campaigns so that everybody can have access to these life-saving vaccines.” As of 1 April 2022, 57 vaccine-preventable disease campaigns in 43 countries that were scheduled to take place since the start of the pandemic are still postponed, impacting 203 million people, most of whom are children. Of these, 19 are measles campaigns, which put 73 million children at risk of measles due to missed vaccinations. In Ukraine, the measles catch-up campaign of 2019 was interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and thereafter due to the war. Routine and catch-up campaigns are needed wherever access is possible to help make sure there are not repeated outbreaks as in 2017-2019, when there were over 115,000 cases of measles and 41 deaths in the country – this was the highest incidence in Europe. Coverage at or above 95 per cent with two doses of the safe and effective measles vaccine can protect children against measles. However, COVID-19 pandemic-related disruptions have delayed the introduction of the second dose of the measles vaccine in many countries. As countries work to respond to outbreaks of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases, and recover lost ground, UNICEF and WHO, along with partners such as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the partners of the Measles & Rubella Initiative (M&RI), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and others are supporting efforts to strengthen immunization systems by: Restoring services and vaccination campaigns so countries can safely deliver routine immunization programmes to fill the gaps left by the backsliding; Helping health workers and community leaders communicate actively with caregivers to explain the importance of vaccinations; Rectifying gaps in immunization coverage, including identifying communities and people who have been missed during the pandemic; Ensuring that COVID-19 vaccine delivery is independently financed and well-integrated into overall planning for immunization services so that it is not carried out at the cost of childhood and other vaccination services; Implementing country plans to prevent and respond to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases and strengthening immunization systems as part of COVID-19 recovery efforts. ###### Notes to Editors For more information on the 24-30 April WHO World Immunization Week campaign and all resources . [1] Source: Provisional data based on monthly data reported to WHO as of April 2022 [2] Source: WHO/UNICEF estimates of national immunization coverage, 2020 revision. [3] Source: WHO/UNICEF estimates of national immunization coverage, 2020 revision. Vaccination of children UNICEF Skopje, 17 January 2022: With a smile on her face, four-year-old Izabela is sitting in her mum’s lap waiting for MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) re-vaccination in “Gjorce Petrov” Polyclinic.

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16 Липень 2018

Record number of infants vaccinated in 2017

New York, 16 July 2018: A record 123 million infants were immunized globally in 2017, according to data released today by the World Health Organization and UNICEF. The data shows that: 9 out of every 10 infants received at least one dose of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine in 2017, gaining protection against these deadly diseases. An additional 4.6 million infants were vaccinated globally with three doses of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine in 2017 compared to 2010, due to global population growth. 167 countries included a second dose of measles vaccine as part of their routine vaccination schedule and 162 countries now use rubella vaccines. As a result, global coverage against rubella increased from 35 per cent in 2010 to 52 per cent. The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine was introduced in 80 countries to help protect women against cervical cancer. Newly available vaccines are being added as part of the life-saving vaccination package – such as those to protect against meningitis, malaria and even Ebola. Despite these successes, almost 20 million children did not receive the benefits of full immunization in 2017. Of these, almost 8 million (40 per cent) live in fragile or humanitarian settings, including countries affected by conflict. In addition, a growing share are from middle-income countries, where inequity and marginalization, particularly among the urban poor, prevent many from getting immunized. As populations grow, more countries need to increase their investments in immunization programmes. To reach all children with much-needed vaccines, the world will need to vaccinate an estimated 20 million additional children every year with three doses of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine (DTP3); 45 million with a second dose of measles vaccine; and 76 million children with 3 doses of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. In support of these efforts, WHO and UNICEF are working to expand access to immunization by: Strengthening the quality, availability and use of vaccine coverage data. Better targeting resources. Planning actions at sub-national levels and Ensuring that vulnerable people can access vaccination services. Notes to Editors Since 2000, WHO and UNICEF have jointly produced national immunization coverage estimates for each of the 194 WHO Member States on an annual basis. In addition to producing the immunization coverage estimates for 2017, the WHO and UNICEF estimation process revises the entire historical series of immunization data with the latest available information. The 2017 revision covers 37 years of coverage estimates, from 1980 to 2017. Related links WHO/UNICEF 2017 country and regional immunization coverage data Global Vaccine Action Plan 2012-2020 A baby girl receives her vaccination at a clinic in Serbia. UNICEF/UN040869/Bicanski A baby girl receives her vaccination at a clinic in Serbia.

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28 Лютий 2019

Alarming global surge of measles cases a growing threat to children

NEW YORK, 1 March 2019 – UNICEF warned today that global cases of measles are surging to alarmingly high levels, led by ten countries accounting for more than 74 per cent of the total increase, and several others that had previously been declared measles free. Countries with ten highest increases in cases between 2017 & 2018 1 1. Ukraine 30,338 2. Philippines 13,192 3. Brazil 10,262 4. Yemen 6,641 5. Venezuela 4,916 6. Serbia 4,355 7. Madagascar 4,307 8. Sudan 3,496 9. Thailand 2,758 10. France 2,269 Globally, 98 countries reported more cases of measles in 2018 compared to 2017, eroding progress against this highly preventable, but potentially deadly disease. Ukraine, the Philippines and Brazil saw the largest increases in measles cases from 2017 to 2018. In Ukraine alone, there were 35,120 cases of measles in 2018. According to the government, another 24,042 people were infected just in the first two months of 2019. In the Philippines so far this year, there have been 12,736 measles cases and 203 deaths 2 , compared to 15,599 cases in the whole of 2018. "This is a wake up call. We have a safe, effective and inexpensive vaccine against a highly contagious disease – a vaccine that has saved almost a million lives every year over the last two decades,” said Henrietta H. Fore, UNICEF’s Executive Director. “These cases haven’t happened overnight. Just as the serious outbreaks we are seeing today took hold in 2018, lack of action today will have disastrous consequences for children tomorrow." Measles is highly contagious, more so than Ebola, tuberculosis or influenza. The virus can be contracted by someone up to two hours after an infected person has left a room. It spreads through air and infects the respiratory tract, potentially killing malnourished children or babies too young to be vaccinated. Once infected, there is no specific treatment for measles, so vaccination is a life-saving tool for children. In response to these outbreaks, UNICEF and its partners are supporting governments to urgently reach millions of children in countries around the globe. For example: In Ukraine, UNICEF has provided ongoing support to accelerate routine immunization across the country and address vaccine hesitancy, including additional efforts to stop the most recent outbreak that has claimed 30 lives since 2017. In February, the Ministry of Health, with UNICEF’s support, launched an immunization drive at schools and clinics in the worst-hit Lviv region in western Ukraine, where negative attitudes toward immunization, and previous shortages in vaccine supply, have resulted in low vaccination rates. In the Philippines, the government, with support from UNICEF and partners, will conduct a campaign to vaccinate 9 million children against measles across 17 regions. Using social media, campaigners plan to encourage apprehensive parents, and health workers. In Brazil, from August to September 2018, the government carried out a campaign against polio and measles, targeting more than 11 million children under five. UNICEF encouraged people to get vaccinated, and trained health monitors working in migrant shelters for Venezuelans. UNICEF has included the measles vaccine as part of the Municipal Seal programme that covers 1,924 municipalities. In Yemen, where years of conflict led to an outbreak, local authorities with support from UNICEF, WHO and GAVI vaccinated more than 11.5 million children in February. In Madagascar, from 3 September to 21 February, 76,871 people were infected by measles and 928 died, a majority of which were children. In January, the government, with support of partners including UNICEF, launched an immunization campaign to target all 114 districts. Over 2 million children were immunized in 25 districts. In February, 1.4 million children were vaccinated, with another 3.9 million more to follow in March. Notable reported measles cases in 2018 in countries with no reported cases in 2017 Brazil 10,262 Moldova 312 Montenegro 203 Colombia 188 Timor-Leste 59 Peru 38 Chile 23 Uzbekistan 17 Poor health infrastructure, civil strife, low community awareness, complacency and vaccine hesitancy in some cases have led to these outbreaks in both developed and developing countries. For example, in the United States, the number of measles cases increased six-fold between 2017 and 2018, reaching 791 cases 3 . More recently, the U.S. has seen outbreaks in New York and Washington state. “Almost all of these cases are preventable, and yet children are getting infected even in places where there is simply no excuse,” said Fore. “Measles may be the disease, but, all too often, the real infection is misinformation, mistrust and complacency. We must do more to accurately inform every parent, to help us safely vaccinate every child.” To fight measles, UNICEF is issuing an urgent appeal to governments, health care providers, and parents to do more to contain the disease by: Understanding that vaccines are safe and effective and can save a child’s life Vaccinating all children between the ages of six months to five years during outbreaks Training and equipping health workers so they can provide quality services Strengthening immunization programmes to deliver all life-saving vaccines Notes to editors Download photos and broll here. About the Measles and Rubella Initiative UNICEF is part of the Measles and Rubella Initiative , a private-public partnership of five global partners including WHO, CDC, United Nations Foundation and American Red Cross that has been spearheading a global push towards measles and rubella elimination. 1 The analysis is based on WHO’s global measles and rubella data of 194 countries for the year 2017 and 2018,released as of 9 January 2019. To know more, click here . The analysis is based on the total confirmed cases of measles. A more recent dataset was released as of 11 February 2019 after the publication of the release. These data are considered provisional, until they are finalized around mid-year, to allow time for reporting lag to be addressed. 2 Until 23 February 2019. For the source, click here . 3 Correction: “the number of measles cases increased over three-fold between 2017 and 2018, reaching 372 cases.” Correction updates a data error in the original source. Maryana Dzuba, 9, receives her first dose of MMR vaccine on 21 February 2019 in the medical centre of the Lapaivka village school, Lviv region, Ukraine, as part of a three-week long catch-up vaccination campaign to increase MMR coverage among school aged children in the region. UNICEF/UN0284080/ Dyachyshyn Maryana Dzuba, 9, receives her first dose of MMR vaccine on 21 February 2019 in the medical centre of the Lapaivka village school, Lviv region, Ukraine, as part of a three-week long catch-up vaccination campaign to increase MMR coverage among school aged children in the region.

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