This stark warning comes from the World Health Organization, UNICEF and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance ahead of the Global Vaccine Summit on 4 June, at which world leaders will come together to help maintain immunization programmes and mitigate the impact of the pandemic in lower-income countries.

According to data collected by the World Health Organization, UNICEF, Gavi and the Sabin Vaccine Institute, provision of routine immunization services is substantially hindered in at least 68 countries and is likely to affect approximately 80 million children under the age of 1 living in these countries.

MASS IMMUNIZATION CAMPAIGNS TEMPORARILY DISRUPTED

Many countries have temporarily and justifiably suspended preventive mass vaccination campaigns against diseases like cholera, measles, meningitis, polio, tetanus, typhoid and yellow fever, due to risk of transmission and the need to maintain physical distancing during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

About the Analysis

Vaccination Total # of with postponed campaigns as of 15 May*

Measles/ Measles 27

Measles Mumps Rubella (M/MR/MMR)

Polio 7

Bivalent oral poliovirus vaccine 26

Monovalent Oral Poliovirus Type 2 13

Meningitis A 2

Yellow Fever 4

Typhoid 2

Cholera 5

Tetanus 7

The online immunization pulse survey was conducted with over 800 immunization experts, including representatives of Ministries of Health and global health organizations across 107 countries.

Gavi also plays a key role in improving global health security by supporting health systems as well as funding global stockpiles for Ebola, cholera, meningitis and yellow fever vaccines

The Vaccine Alliance brings together developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation and other private sector partners.

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