August 21,2024
New Delhi: Addressing the rising prevalence of cervical cancer among adolescent girls, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has called on member countries in the South-East Asia region to intensify efforts to ensure all children receive life-saving vaccines. These vaccines, crucial for protecting adolescent girls from cervical cancer, are part of the childhood immunization program.
“We should aim for a ‘big catch-up’ to vaccinate all zero-dose and partially vaccinated children, restore immunization progress lost during the pandemic, protect adolescent girls from cervical cancer, and accelerate efforts to eliminate Measles and Rubella from WHO South-East Asia by 2026,” stated Saima Wazed, Regional Director WHO South-East Asia, during the 15th Meeting of the WHO South-East Asia Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group (SEAR-ITAG).
Wazed emphasised, “The Region missed the target to eliminate measles and rubella by 2023. The WHO/UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage data released last month show slow progress and no meaningful change in childhood immunization coverage last year compared to 2022, with coverage yet to be restored to pre-pandemic 2019 levels. Nearly 2.7 million children in our Region did not receive any vaccines, and another 0.6 million children were partially vaccinated in 2023.”
She further added, “We need locally impactful approaches and, most critically, enhanced political and social leadership as the foundation for the intensified actions needed to meet our Regional targets. The focus must be on tailored approaches, developed in consultation with affected communities.”
The SEAR-ITAG is an annual meeting where experts, national immunization program managers, surveillance focal points, and partner agencies review immunization coverage progress. The group provides guidance on setting regional immunization priorities and offers technical support to Member States for strengthening routine immunization services.
Source: Healthworld