World Health Organisation (WHO) regional director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, has said that between 2000 and 2022, the Africa region reduced annual measles deaths by 76 percent, with an estimated 19.5 million averted over the 22 years of measles control efforts.
Moeti disclose this in a statement in commemoration of the Africa Vaccination Week and World Vaccination Week.
She also said that the region has seen a dramatic decline in deaths caused by meningitis by up to 39 percent from 2000 to 2019.
Describing the achievement as significant in public health, Moeti said it is owing, in part, to the introduction and rollout of the meningitis A vaccine in 2010.
She noted that no cases of meningitis caused by the type A strain has been found since 2017, adding that progress towards eliminating maternal and neonatal tetanus in the region has also been commendable.
As of March 2024, 43 out of 47 high-burden African countries had been validated for elimination, representing 91% of our Member States in the African Region.
Over the years, we have witnessed a steady increase in immunisation coverage rates, which have been possible thanks to strong collaboration with Member States, international organizations, health workers and communities, she said.
However, she noted that Immunisation has also had its share of challenges, including insufficient healthcare infrastructure, shortage of skilled healthcare workers, limited resources for vaccine procurement, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation, further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite these challenges, Moeti said African countries have prioritised health by investing in immunisation and the broader primary health care systems and fostering partnerships and collaboration, making significant strides towards health for all.
