In a stark reminder from Manila, the WHO’s Western Pacific office is sounding the alarm on faltering vaccination rates that put millions of children at risk. Reiterating its plea for intensified immunization drives, the agency cautions against the deadly comeback of diseases once on the brink of elimination.
‘We must protect the tough achievements in our immunization programs, reach every missed child, and keep public confidence strong in vaccines for all ages,’ the statement urged. Dr. Saia Ma’u Piukala, Regional Director, called vaccines ‘a miracle of science’ that have shielded generations but now face erosion.
Shocking figures reveal that in 2024, about 2.1 million kids in this vast 2.2 billion-population region – representing more than 25% of the world’s people – went without a single vaccine dose. Countries here have made strides against vaccine-preventable illnesses, but coverage lags critically.
To turn the tide, WHO stresses fortifying routine systems, bridging access gaps for vulnerable groups, and securing steady vaccine supplies. Vaccination has saved countless lives from death and disability, yet disparities in reach remain a persistent hurdle.
Through its VPDI unit, WHO is guiding nations toward a disease-free zone under the Global Vaccine Action Plan’s regional blueprint. Priorities encompass sustaining polio eradication, wiping out tetanus in mothers and newborns, ending measles and rubella, boosting hepatitis B efforts, rolling out novel vaccines, hitting coverage benchmarks, and curbing Japanese encephalitis.
As threats loom, immediate action from policymakers and health workers is imperative to vaccinate the unserved and prevent outbreaks that could overwhelm systems.
