The World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) announced Thursday that the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted routine immunization of children in 2020, which would be disastrous for societies.

Paralel.az according to the WHO and UNICEF updated data, 23 million children did not receive the main vaccines because of the pandemic in 2020. This is 3.7 million more than in 2019. The thing that worries organizations is that about 17 million children do not receive a vaccine during the year. In the past, it was announced that there were problems with this issue. So, while countries were trying to hand over the JUVID-19 vaccines, it was emphasized that there was lagging in other vaccines and that children were at risk of such devastating but preventable diseases as measles, poliomyelitis or meningitis. At the same time, it was said that numerous epidemics would be disastrous for societies and health systems. In the words of WHO Director-General Tedros Adanum Hebreyesus, coping with JUVID-19, it is therefore alwayskindan more important to invest in child vaccines and ensure that every child is covered.

As noted, due to interruptions in the vaccination service, South-East Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean regions suffered most in 2020. Most children who have not received the necessary vaccines they live in communities affected by conflicts, in remote, weak, informal or slum environments.

Moscow's chief pediatrician told The Press that it was necessary to vaccinate adolescents. According to who, the lack of vaccines to be given in 2020 caused the outbreak of measles in Pakistan. In India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Philippines, Mexico, Angola, Tanzania, Mozambique, Argentina, Venezuela and Mali, the lack of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccines is also an alarming point. The level of vaccination against major, preventable diseases fell from 95 to 86 percent, which is recommended for full protection of the population. To date, about 1.6 million girls in all countries who have been vaccinated against HPV have been excluded from vaccination in 2020.

Nigar