As key measures to revamp routine immunisation across the
continent, the declaration is expected to help Member States to achieve their
health SDGs and economic and development goals.
A total of 8.4 million children in the African region
suffered massive disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic that interrupted
childhood vaccination programmes and heightened outbreaks of vaccine-preventable
diseases in 2021, according to estimates by UNICEF and the World Health
Organisation.
Announcing the declaration at a high-level event on the
sidelines of the 36th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Heads of State
and Government in Addis Ababa, the leaders also called for urgent measures to
“address persistent bottlenecks in vaccine and healthcare delivery systems,
especially in the poorest, vulnerable and most marginalised communities.
The declaration urges countries to keep immunization front
and centre as they recover from COVID-19 and immunise all children who have not
yet been protected. The heads of state also called for countries to act quickly
to galvanise support for the last-mile polio eradication efforts and use the
lessons learnt from the polio immunization programme to boost routine
immunisation capacities across the continent.
The WHO Regional
Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, said, “Immunizations saves lives and
is one of the best health investments that money can buy.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on
immunization efforts in Africa and has made it critical for us to catch up,
recover and get back to normal.”
In Africa, vaccine-preventable diseases are responsible for
93 percent of ongoing infectious disease outbreaks. Currently,
vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks are ongoing in 31 African countries, with
17 having more than one vaccine-preventable disease outbreak. Without renewed
political will and immediate, intensified efforts, it is estimated that
immunization coverage will not return to 2019 levels until 2027.
“Children who were missed by immunisation services are more
likely to also experience limited or no access to health, nutrition, education,
and other social services,” said Marie-Pierre Poirier, UNICEF Regional Director
for West and Central Africa.
“With strong political will and increased investment in
essential services for children, including immunisation, we can accelerate
progress towards the Immunization Agenda 2030, the African Union’s Agenda 2063,
and the global Sustainable Development Goals 2030 to ensure a healthier, safer,
and more prosperous Africa for its children and for all.”
The “Building momentum for routine immunisation recovery in
Africa” declaration also aims to reignite the continent’s commitment to meet
the goals of the Immunization Agenda 2030, a new global strategy to address the
challenges of immunization and save more than 50 million lives worldwide.
The declaration, at the event convened by the African Union
Commission for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, the
Government of Sierra Leone and World Health Organization (WHO), called on
African regional economic communities, WHO and the African Development Bank to
support the initiative. It also urged vaccine manufacturers to improve access
to doses and the UNICEF and WHO to support countries to monitor progress
towards the immunisation goals. “
Recalling the Addis Ababa Declaration on Immunisation
endorsed by Heads of State at the 28th African Union Summit, Africa’s leaders
hold a mandate to secure sustainable financing toward increasing access to
immunisation, and work with communities to strengthen immunization systems
across the continent. We can end vaccine-preventable diseases and save many
more lives. This is core to achieving healthy, prosperous communities as
premised in the AU Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.”
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