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Vaccines

Millions of Children in Eastern Mediterranean Region Remain Unprotected Against Preventable Diseases

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Across the Eastern Mediterranean Region, millions of children are growing up with no protection against deadly but preventable diseases. These zero-dose children -- more than 14.3 million between 2019 and 2024 -- have yet to receive a single routine vaccine. Safe, effective and affordable vaccines have been available for decades, yet measles and rubella are endemic in several countries in the Region. The Region faces significant immunity gaps, with 90% of zero-dose children living in just 5 countries: Sudan, Yemen, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Somalia.

Key Takeaways:

  • Over 14.3 million children in the Eastern Mediterranean Region have yet to receive a single routine vaccine between 2019 and 2024.
  • Ninety per cent of zero-dose children in the Region live in just 5 countries -- Sudan (30%), Yemen (23%), Afghanistan (17%), Pakistan (14%), and Somalia (6%).
  • Eighteen countries have introduced rubella vaccine, but 3 have yet to do so, keeping elimination out of reach.
  • Around 2 million children in the Region did not receive a first dose of the Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis vaccine (DTP1) in 2019, a number that has increased since then.
  • The cumulative number of zero-dose children under 5 years of age in the Region grew by 12.3 million between 2020 and 2024.
  • The proposed resolution urges Member States to: reaffirm commitment to measles elimination; implement strategies to address zero-dose children; establish national verification committees; adopt a regional rubella elimination goal; increase vaccine demand; increase domestic financing; and report progress annually to the Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group and the Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella Elimination.

Statistics:

  • 14.3 million children in the Eastern Mediterranean Region have yet to receive a single routine vaccine between 2019 and 2024.
  • 90% of zero-dose children in the Region live in just 5 countries: Sudan, Yemen, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Somalia.
  • 18 countries have introduced rubella vaccine, but 3 have yet to do so.
  • 2 million children in the Region did not receive a first dose of the Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis vaccine (DTP1) in 2019.
  • The cumulative number of zero-dose children under 5 years of age in the Region grew by 12.3 million between 2020 and 2024.
  • 30% of zero-dose children live in Sudan.
  • 23% of zero-dose children live in Yemen.
  • 17% of zero-dose children live in Afghanistan.
  • 14% of zero-dose children live in Pakistan.
  • 6% of zero-dose children live in Somalia.

Sources:

  • World Health Organization
  • Contify.com
  • World Health Organization (RC72) Member States
  • Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group
  • Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella Elimination

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