Korede Abdullah in Lagos
Over 30 million children worldwide miss out on completing their full course of life-saving vaccines, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed.
“In 2024 alone, 60 countries saw significant measles outbreaks — nearly double the number in 2022,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus during an online briefing on global health.
He blamed both poor access and rising vaccine hesitancy, stressing, “WHO and other public health organisations have detailed information to help families understand vaccines, which have saved millions of lives since smallpox.”
New HIV Injection to Prevent 96% of New Infections
In a positive stride for public health, Ghebreyesus announced WHO’s support for a groundbreaking HIV prevention injection, Lenacapavir, which protects for six months.
“WHO and partners are working with nine early adopter countries so that up to two million people will be able to access Lenacapavir at a negotiated lower price,” he said, adding that generic versions should expand access further by 2027.
He confirmed that new guidelines and a fast-track pre-qualification process would help countries roll it out quickly.
The WHO chief also highlighted recent wins against neglected tropical diseases.
“We are proud to have certified Suriname as malaria-free and validated the elimination of trachoma in Burundi and Senegal, bringing the number of countries eliminating at least one neglected tropical disease to 57,” Ghebreyesus noted.
He concluded by calling attention to World Drowning Prevention Day on July 25, urging countries and communities to adopt low-cost, evidence-based actions to protect children from preventable deaths in water.
