Bukoba — THE African Union (AU) has expressed worries on the alarming decline in immunisation rates and the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases.
The AU on Saturday held a Forum on Immunisation and Polio Eradication in Africa, which is being hosted by President Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal and Chairperson of the African Union.
The Forum was aimed to re-mobilise Heads of State on the Addis Declaration in immunisation, to build momentum for immunisation and polio eradication and to encourage support among policy makers across the continent for scaled up policies and financing to address the alarming declines in immunisation rates and the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases.
The Forum took place in Senegal's Capital, Dakar, and featured remarks from President Macky Sall, Adama Barrow, President of the Republic of the Gambia, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, President of Guinea-Bissau, Dr Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, Acting Director, Africa CDC, and WHO Director, General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, among others.
Immunisation rates have seen a sharp decline since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic almost exactly three years ago.
There is an urgent need to bring vaccination rates back to their pre-pandemic levels (and even surpass them) to ensure that children are protected against vaccine-preventable diseases such as polio, measles and cholera.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) directs that in case of any polio outbreak, the respective country and neighbouring countries are required to provide polio vaccination to under five children for four consecutive rounds.
There is no cure, but there are safe and effective vaccines, which given multiple times can protect a child for life. Eradicating polio required immunising every child until transmission stops and the world is free of all forms of polio virus.
In 1988, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI)-of which WHO is a founding member- set out to eradicate polio in 125 countries by mid 2005. The mission required mass vaccination, reaching every child. At that stage, it was estimated that 350,000 children around the world were paralysed by polio each year.
