As per a report published by the UN, around 25 million children have missed out on regular vaccination against familiar diseases like Diptheria around the globe.

The main reason behind missing the vaccination is said to be the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and misinformation spreading around regarding the vaccines.

In a report published recently, the UNICEF and World Health Organization said that as per their data, around 25 million children missed the vaccination against Diptheria, tetanus and pertussis last year, a significant marker for childhood immunization which has been shifting downward since 2019.

Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF, said this is a warning for securing child health. The world is witnessing the most significant drop in childhood immunization in a generation, adding that the outcomes would be assessed in lives lost.

As per the data, a plethora of children who failed to get the vaccination are said to be living in developing regions like India, Nigeria, Indonesia, Ethiopia, and the Philippines.

Although vaccine coverage dropped in every region across the globe, the worst effects have been reported in East Asia and the Pacific.

Experts say that this is a historic backsliding in vaccination coverage and is quite disturbing as it is leading to rising rates of severe malnutrition. Children with malnutrition generally have weaker immune systems and are prone to infections like measles.

The concurrence of a hunger crisis and a rising immunization gap warns of creating the conditions for a child survival crisis, said the UN.

According to scientists, low vaccine coverage rates have already caused unnecessary outbreaks of diseases like measles and polio.

Moreover, WHO and partners in March 2020 urged countries to halt their polio extermination efforts following the COVID-19 outbreak. Since then, more than 30 countries have suffered polio epidemics.

Source Credit – https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/25-million-kids-missed-routine-vaccinations-due-to-covid-19-un-1126827.html