2024-05-07 05:25:00
Basel – In 1974, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a global vaccination program for children with the “Expanded Program on Immunization”. A new study shows that vaccinations have prevented an estimated 154 million deaths since then. Researchers from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) report this in the journal “The Lancet” in collaboration with the WHO and other research organisations.
Inspired by progress in eradicating smallpox through vaccination, the WHO launched the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in 1974. Today, half a century later, researchers have attempted to quantify the program’s impact on public health since its inception in a study.
Key findings include that vaccinations have prevented an estimated 154 million deaths worldwide since 1974, including 146 million in children under the age of five and 101 million in infants under the age of one.
On average, for every death prevented, 66 years of health were gained, a staggering gain of 10.2 billion years of health. Vaccinations account for 40 percent of the observed decline in global infant mortality, and the contribution is even higher in regions such as Africa at 52 percent.
In 2024, a child under the age of ten is 40% more likely to survive to their next birthday than in a hypothetical scenario without the historic vaccination efforts. The benefits of vaccination continue into adulthood, and the likelihood of survival increases in all age groups.
“Vaccinations work, save lives and make the world healthier.”
Prof. Dr. Jürg Utzinger
“These results underline the enormous impact vaccinations have had on global public health over the past 50 years. Vaccination works, saves lives and makes our world healthier,” says Prof. Dr. Jürg Utzinger, director of the Swiss TPH and professor of epidemiology at the University of Basel. “We are pleased that we might contribute to this ground-breaking study with our expertise in mathematical modelling.” The Swiss TPH researchers led the study in collaboration with a number of colleagues from the WHO and other research institutions.
The researchers used mathematical and statistical models to estimate the regional and global impact of EPI vaccinations once morest 14 pathogens (including measles, polio and tuberculosis) over the past 50 years on public health. For the modeled pathogens, they assessed coverage of all routine and supplementary vaccinations and estimated avoided mortality and morbidity for each age cohort.
“While we should celebrate this success, we must also be aware that diseases such as measles, tetanus and tuberculosis continue to claim lives.”
Dr. Andrew Shattock
“This study is the most comprehensive analysis of the historical impact of vaccinations to date. Infant and child mortality rates have fallen dramatically over the past 50 years, and our results show that vaccinations have been the most important factor in this progress,” says Dr Andrew Shattock, senior researcher at Swiss TPH and the University of Basel and lead author of the study.
“While we should celebrate this success, we must also recognize that diseases such as measles, tetanus and tuberculosis continue to claim lives. It is therefore important that we continue to invest in the most effective medical advances, including existing and new vaccines, Shattock said.
This text is based on a press release from the Swiss TPH. (University of Basel/mc/ps)
Original publication
Andrew J Shattock et al.
Contribution of vaccination to improved survival and health: modeling 50 years of the Expanded Program on Immunization
The Lancet (2024), doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)00850-X
University of Basel
1715063783
#Vaccinations #save #million #lives
