World Health Organization urges countries to vaccinate children

The World Health Organization says vaccinations against disease save the lives of two to three million children every year. The WHO says almost 80 percent of babies are vaccinated against diseases like diphtheria, measles and whooping cough. But 20 percent -- or about 22 million children -– are not protected. That is why many efforts to end polio and measles have not succeeded, says WHO Director of Immunization Jean-Marie Okwo-Bele. But Dr. Okwo-BEle also says the cost of newer vaccines is too high for children in poor countries.

“The newer vaccines that are available against the two top killers of children – pneumonia and diarrhea – these vaccines are not accessible to the majority of children in the world. And, we know that child deaths will be reduced by an additional one to one and one half million deaths with increased access to all vaccines.”

The WHO says most of the UN-vaccinated children live in countries in Africa and southeast Asia. Eighty percent of those who are not vaccinated against...

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The WHO is working to help the 20% of the world's children that do not receive vaccinations. Concerned citizens are cooperating internationally to try and make vaccinations more accessible to everyone.