WHO Urges Accelerated Efforts to Ensure All Children in South-East Asia Receive Life-Saving Vaccines

New Delhi: The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged countries in the South-East Asia Region to intensify efforts to identify and immunize unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children. This call to action emphasizes the need for tailored approaches at sub-national levels to effectively reach these vulnerable groups. According to the latest global data, nearly 3.4 million children in the region did not receive all the vaccines offered under the childhood immunization program in 2023, with 2.7 million of them receiving no vaccines at all, leaving them susceptible to life-threatening diseases.

“The increasing numbers of unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children calls for urgent and accelerated action. We need to identify where and why these children are missed and prioritize reaching them at the earliest. No child should fall sick or die of any vaccine-preventable disease when safe and effective vaccines exist to protect them against these deadly diseases,” said Ms. Saima Wazed, Regional Director WHO South-East Asia.

The Region is off track to achieve 2030 immunization agenda and the regional vaccine action plan to achieve over 90% coverage with three doses of diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus (DTP3) vaccines in all countries.

The WHO and UNICEF joint immunization data for 2023 shows DTP1 coverage in the Region at 92%, below the pre-pandemic 94% in 2019 and DTP3 coverage, indicator of full immunization, at 90%, less than pre-pandemic 91% in 2019. Children receiving first dose of measles vaccine – typically at 9 or 12 months – declined to 91% in 2023 from 94% in 2019, while coverage with the second dose of measles vaccine administered to children between 18 months and five years old remained relatively constant at 85%.

“The focus must be on tailored approaches, identified in consultation with the affected communities – local solutions to local issues. No matter how challenging or remote the setting is, we will need to find new ways to reach the children most at risk of life-threatening diseases,” Ms Wazed said.

In recent years, the Region has had many public health advances facilitated by vaccination – such as elimination of polio and maternal and neonatal tetanus, while some countries have eliminated measles, rubella and controlled hepatitis B among children. Lessons from these achievements, specially from the last mile, should be applied to reach the unvaccinated and under vaccinated children.

Populations and areas with missed and under vaccinated children must be identified and prioritized for strategic interventions to implement high-quality vaccination campaigns and sessions. There is also a need for stronger partner coordination and engagement with communities for enhancing vaccination coverage.

Monitoring and accountability must be enhanced at all levels for timely identification and action to address issues and challenges.

To restore and enhance routine immunization coverage to and beyond pre-pandemic level, countries have been making efforts. In 2023, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Timor-Leste conducted multiple national, subnational, and catch-up immunization campaigns with measles and rubella, polio, Japanese Encephalitis and other vaccines given under childhood immunization programs. Countries increased age limit for vaccination to up to five years in these catch campaigns to protect children who missed vaccination during COVID-19 pandemic. Over 25 million doses of vaccines were administered in catch-up campaigns in 2022-2023

“WHO remains committed to supporting countries in their efforts to increase immunization coverage to ensure every person has access to vaccines for their well-being and health,” the Regional Director said.