ScienceInsider

by Jocelyn Kaiser

There's good news today for global health: More children than ever before are being vaccinated against deadly childhood diseases, and vaccine production is up, according to a report from the World Health Organization.

The State of the World's Vaccines and Immunization reviews progress since 2000, when countries pledged to reduce deaths among children under 5 years of age. Organizations such as the World Health Organization, the World Bank, and the Gates Foundation set up a new fund to help poor countries pay for vaccines.

According to the report, 106 million infants were vaccinated against diseases such as measles and whooping cough in 2008—a record number. For the first time in decades, the number of children dying each year has fallen below 10 million, due in part to immunizations as well as factors such as clean water. But 24 million children in developing countries did not receive all of their shots, and $1 billion more a year is needed to reach them.

Countries have also overcome a vaccine shortage in the late 1990s. The vaccine market has tripled over the past 8 years, bringing in more than $17 billion in revenue. New vaccines are now available to thwart infections such as rotavirus and human papillomavirus, which can cause cancer. While more remains to be done, "the overall picture is one of cautious optimism, enthusiasm, energy, and dedication," the report says.

Photo: America.gov