Global Vaccination: Saving Six Lives Every Minute

Over the last 50 years, a global vaccination program launched to protect infants and children against 14 vaccine-preventable diseases is estimated to have saved 154 million lives – or a staggering six lives per minute.

This achievement was announced on the 50^th anniversary of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI). Since the program’s inception in 1974, access to 14 life-saving vaccines has increased from 5% to 84% for infants around the globe, the World Health Organization (WHO) study showed. Findings were based on the global marker of three doses of the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP).

These 14 vaccines provide protection against the following diseases (in alphabetical order):

Diphtheria
Haemophilus influenzae type B
Hepatitis
Japanese encephalitis
Measles
Meningitis A
Pertussis

Invasive pneumococcal disease
Polio
Rotavirus
Rubella
Tetanus
Tuberculosis
Yellow fever

“Vaccines are among the most powerful inventions in history, making once-feared diseases preventable,” said WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Thanks to vaccines, smallpox has been eradicated, polio is on the brink, and with the more recent development of vaccines against diseases like malaria and cervical cancer, we are pushing back the frontiers of disease.¹

Luckily, most of the required vaccines in Canada are available to Canadians through routine childhood immunization programs.

Of the program’s 14 vaccines, the WHO analysis of their benefits published in The Lancet showed that vaccination against measles had the greatest impact world-wide, accounting for 60% of the lives saved, mostly children’s younger than five years of age. As a highly contagious and potentially deadly airborne disease, measles is easily transmitted in shared spaces. That’s why 95% of a community must receive two doses of a measles vaccine such as the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. Two doses provide almost 100% protection, Public Health Agency of Canada notes.¹

In Canada, measles was declared eliminated in 1998, in that the only new cases were coming from outside the country. While our infection rates remain low, measles cases outside Canada are increasing, and children’s vaccine coverage has declined. According to the latest figures in 2021, only 4 of 5 Canadian children at age seven had received both doses. This prompted PHAC to urge families to ensure that children (and also seniors) are fully immunized. This is especially important before travelling. Ask your vaccine provider what your family members need.²

Pertussis or whooping cough may also be making a comeback, at least in Europe where cases have increased 10-fold this year. Whooping cough is named for its intense fits of coughing, followed by a whooping sound when the affected person tries to catch their breath.³

In Canada, rates of whooping cough vary considerably from year to year, ranging from 500 to 4,500 annually, PHAC says. Early symptoms include a cough, stuffy nose, mild fever and red, watery eyes. Left untreated, the infection may persist for months and can lead to brain damage or even death. As with measles, being fully vaccinated is the best protection. Children under age one and older adults are at greatest risk.³

Another vaccine hero of childhood immunizations, the 5-in-1 vaccine DTaP-IPV-Hib protects against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, and haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) with just one shot.⁴ This protection is vital, since these diseases can all be deadly. The tetanus bacterium is all around us, and enters the body through cuts, open wounds, or animal bites, often after contact with dirt or manure. Non-sterile needles used in self-performed tattooing, body piercing, or injection drug use can also cause tetanus infection. In addition to routine shots in childhood and adolescence, it is recommended that adults get their booster shot every 10 years.^5,6,7

And both children and adults over age 65 should be vaccinated against bacterial pneumococcal disease.⁸ Make sure your family has the protection they need, and visit Vaccines411 to learn more about important immunizations for teens and tweens and adolescents and adults.

Did you know?

Of Canadians surveyed in 2021, 97% of parents felt that vaccines are safe and help protect their child’s health. And 94% said that having their child vaccinated helps protect the health of their family and their community.⁹

Want to learn more about what’s next for global vaccination, or to offer support? To mark this year’s World Immunization Week, April 24-30, 2024, the WHO, UNICEF, Gavi, and BMGF unveiled their latest joint campaign, “Humanly Possible”. For more information, visit http://itshumanlypossible.org.

Brought to you by Vaccines411.ca – know where to go for your vaccinations.

This information should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your doctor. There may be variations in treatment that your physician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.