Millennium Development Goals
Immunization's contribution to reaching the Millennium Development Goal on child survival
"These are the goals that make the most immediate life-and-death difference for so many millions of people. Midway in the countdown to 2015, our actions must have a more direct and measurable impact on health."
Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General.
Immunization can significantly contribute to achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goal (MDG) Four Reduce Child Mortality which aims to reduce under-five mortality by two thirds by 2015. Vaccine-preventable diseases are responsible for nearly 20% of the 8.8 million deaths occurring annually among children under five years of age. Improving services to deliver traditional vaccines will reduce the number of vaccine-preventable deaths. In addition, introducing new vaccines will help prevent over 1 million child deaths attributed to pneumococcal disease, meningococcal disease and rotavirus.
Exciting developments are taking place in vaccine research with encouraging clinical trial results on several vaccines against life-threatening infectious diseases. A new meningococcal vaccine, introduced in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger in 2010, has the potential to eliminate meningitis A epidemics that severely affect certain sub-Saharan countries and a first generation malaria vaccine has demonstrated some level of efficacy in young children and may be available by 2015.
Challenges, however, remain. An estimated 23 million children under the age of one were not vaccinated in 2009; seventy per cent of these children live in ten countries: Chad, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan and Uganda.
To overcome these challenges, WHO and UNICEF recommend that countries implement the strategies in the "Global Immunization Vision and Strategy 2006-2015". Its main strategic areas are to: 1. immunize "hard to reach" infants and other age groups through a focus on the district level; 2. increase the availability and affordability of new life-saving vaccines; 3. deliver key health interventions, including insecticide-treated nets against malaria, vitamin A supplements, and deworming medicine during immunization contacts, especially for the "hard to reach" and 4. strengthen cross-border collaboration and coordination to ensure a reliable supply of vaccine, sustainable financing of vaccination and epidemic preparedness.
Immunization, one of the most successful and cost-effective public health investments, has saved countless lives and is responsible for averting between two and three million deaths each year. Immunization leads to significant economic benefits as it protects individuals not only against getting an illness but also against the long-term effects of that illness on their physical, emotional and cognitive development. When children grow up healthier, they do better in school and are more productive as adults. Therefore, it is critical that governments place investing in immunization high on their national health agendas.
Last updated: 20 April 2011