By REBECCA MUSHOTA –

in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
ZAMBIA has immunised 86 per cent of children countrywide against three infectious diseases namely, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough) and tetanus, also known as DPT3.
This is according to the immunisation 2014 report released here on Tuesday by the World Health Organisation (WHO) regional office for Africa and Eastern Mediterranean.
The report was released ahead of the first-ever two-day Ministerial Conference on Immunisation in Africa (MCIA) which opened yesterday under the theme ‘Fulfilling a promise: Ensuring immunisation for all in Africa’ and hopes to get African governments to commit to vaccinate more children.
The report said that Zambia vaccinated 86 per cent of children with DPT3, falling short of the 90 per cent continent target and exceeding the African average of 80 per cent.
The best countries were the Seychelles and Morocco, which covered 99 per cent of the child population, while Equatorial Guinea was the least with 24 per cent.
WHO regional director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti said despite considerable progress in expanding access to vaccines in Africa, one in five children on the continent did not receive life-saving immunisations.
Dr Moeti was speaking at the launch of the report.
He said Africa’s coverage of 80 per cent was the lowest of all regions in the world and that there was need for political will to ensure funding for vaccinations was increased.
“For Africa to achieve its full potential and secure a bright future, we must unite to ensure that every child on the continent receives the vaccines he or she needs to survive and thrive,” Dr Moeti said.
“It is unacceptable that one in every child lacks access to life-saving vaccines, and this report is an urgent wake-up call to Africans of all walks of life at every level.”
In recent decades, vaccines have contributed to substantial reductions in the childhood disease burden globally, saving millions of lives and subsequently improving people’s living standards.
It has mainly contributed to the eradication of smallpox and led to many countries’ elimination of polio.
Zambia has eliminated tetanus and maternal and neonatal tetanus, and is one of the first countries globally to vaccinate adolescent girls against human papilloma virus (HPV), a virus that causes cervical cancer.
The MCIA has brought together health and finance ministers as well as experts and journalists.
Zambia is represented by Health Deputy Minister Chitalu Chilufya.