October 2002

Highlights the strides made in global immunisation since the mid-1990s. These include the near-eradication of polio worldwide and the dramatic reductions in the incidence of measles and maternal and neonatal tetanus in some of the lowest-income countries. This report also charts progress in the development and introduction of new life-saving vaccines that have the potential to save millions of lives every year.

It points out that many children have yet to benefit from these achievements. The report states that while some low-income countries have made substantial progress in increasing immunisation coverage, coverage in others is at its lowest for over a decade. In sub-Saharan Africa, for example, only about 50% of children are immunised during their first year of life. By contrast, the wealthier developed countries have not only far higher immunisation rates but children also have access to a wider range of vaccines.

This report contains 4 sections:

• Immunisation challenges - charts the growing divide in access to vaccines and immunisation and warns of the global consequences of failure to sustain investments in immunisation in developing countries.
• Charting a way forward - outlines new initiatives launched in response to mounting international concern at low immunisation coverage, the growing inequalities in immunisation and the unacceptable toll of infectious diseases in developing countries.
• Vaccines update - looks at the impact of some vaccines in use today and reviews progress in the research and development (R&D) of priority new vaccines for developing countries.
• Conclusions - outlines some of the reasons why the world community should invest in immunisation and looks at the future for vaccines and immunisation.

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