WHO: 35 Million Children Lack Protection Against Measles

Approximately 35 million children worldwide lack adequate protection against measles, according to WHO. Only four out of five children receive the first dose of measles vaccine – far below the coverage required to prevent outbreaks.

» Updated: July 16 2024

» Published: July 15 2024

WHO: 35 Million Children Lack Protection Against Measles
Photo: Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi/AP/TT

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Nearly 35 million children worldwide lack adequate protection against measles, according to WHO. Only four out of five children receive the first dose of measles vaccine – far below the coverage required to prevent outbreaks.

Measles outbreaks are like canaries in a coal mine and show the gaps in vaccination programs, says WHO's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

More than a hundred countries have been affected by measles outbreaks since 2019. The relatively low vaccination rate among children is the main reason for the disease to break out, writes WHO in a press release.

A vaccination coverage of 95 percent is required to prevent outbreaks of the highly contagious disease. However, in countries where three-quarters of the world's children live, only about 80 percent are vaccinated. More than half of the unvaccinated children live in conflict-affected areas or countries with limited access to healthcare.

Many children also lack protection against diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough, writes WHO.

This is a problem that can be solved. Measles vaccine is cheap and can be distributed even to hard-to-reach places. WHO will help countries to fill the gaps and protect the most vulnerable children as quickly as possible, says Ghebreyesus.

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By TTEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for local and international readers

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