As more covid-19 vaccines begin reach the developing world, global health authorities point out the need for other vaccines as well. UNICEF recently launched a record $9.4 billion emergency appealto help more than 327 million people — including 177 million children — affected by humanitarian crises and covid-19.
This funding appeal — and UNICEF's goal of vaccinating 62.1 million children against measles this year — comes at a time when escalating conflicts affect millions of children and their communities. In December, for example, Pakistani Taliban gunmen killed a police officer guarding a polio vaccination team in northwest Pakistan.
How does conflict affect vaccination rates? Our recent research on African countries south of the Sahara suggests that conflict can have both positive and negative effects on vaccination.
