How many lives are saved each year worldwide through vaccination?
According to World Health Organization estimates, vaccination saves the lives of more than 3 million people worldwide each year and prevents millions of others from suffering from diseases and permanent disabilities.
However, more than 3 million people, including 1.4 million children under the age of 5, still die each year worldwide due to lack of access to vaccines. The most deadly of the vaccine-preventable infectious diseases are measles, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), pertussis and neonatal tetanus.
With a concerted effort, it is possible to eliminate, or even eradicate, certain diseases:
Smallpox, which used to kill 5 million people worldwide each year, was eradicated in 1980 and is now virtually forgotten. To date, the global fight against poliomyelitis has saved 5 million people from paralysis (WHO, 2005).
