Infant mortality rates have seen a significant decline over the past five decades, with a decrease of over two-thirds since 1974. This positive trend can be attributed to various factors such as decreasing poverty levels, improved nutrition, cleaner air and water, and the availability of vaccines.
According to a recent study by the World Health Organization (WHO), vaccines have played a crucial role in this decline, with 40 percent of the reduction in infant mortality being attributed to vaccination efforts. Since 1974, vaccines have prevented a staggering 154 million deaths, primarily among children under 5 years old. This translates to an additional 9 billion years of life for beneficiaries of vaccines.
The WHO’s Expanded Programme on Immunization, initiated in 1974, has been instrumental in making vaccines more accessible in regions of the Global South. Vaccination campaigns in sub-Saharan Africa, for instance, have led to significant increases in immunization rates for diseases like measles, tuberculosis, polio, and hepatitis B.
The impact of vaccines in preventing mortality is evident in the case of the measles vaccine alone, which has averted 93.7 million deaths since 1974. The study conducted by the WHO involved analyzing mortality rates, vaccine coverage data, and disease spread models to estimate the widespread impact of vaccines across different countries and time periods.
Recent developments in Covid-19 vaccines have underscored the importance of vaccination, yet there has been a concerning decrease in support for childhood vaccinations in certain regions. Overall, vaccines have been crucial in saving lives and preventing suffering over the past 50 years, granting individuals more years to live and flourish.
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